


Alterum

by Anonymous



Category: The LEGO Movie (2014), The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Crossover, Dimension Travel, Falling In Love, Fist Fights, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Idiots in Love, Implied Mpreg, Injury Recovery, Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Multiverse, Mutual Pining, Nursing, Rex and Emmet are different people AU, Shower Sex, Stabbing, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-25 23:50:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 55,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20380189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Rex had dedicated his life to policing the multiverse, protecting the dimensions and ensuring those who abused travel between them were brought to justice.After years of balance, a threat looms on the horizon-- a person who seeks to destroy all other iterations of themself-- to become the most powerful entity in existence-- ‘The One’.As the fate of the multiverse weighs on his shoulders, Rex comes face to face with the last person he wanted to see--Himself.[Complete! Epilogue coming soon...]





	1. Ares

**Author's Note:**

> Aka ‘weird crossover no one asked for but here it is’.
> 
> Anyway, I watched The One again recently. It’s been years since I last watched it, and it’s aged terribly, but I really liked some of the themes. They applied really well to Rex and Emmet in my head, and so, this was born.
> 
> You don’t need to see the movie to understand what’s happening. I’ve tried my best to explain the rules of each of the universes that this fic takes place in.
> 
> I did a lot of research regarding medical stuff that happens here. I do not claim to be an expert or a member or the medical field, so none of this is fact.

There is not one singular universe, there are many-- a  _ multiverse _ .

There is not one you-- there are multiple instances of yourself across the multiverse. Each of us exists in present time, in parallel universes. A shared life force, split between various iterations of ourselves.

The technology exists to travel between universes, but travel is highly restricted and policed. Encountering your other selves could prove catastrophic in the worst of circumstances.

There was once a balance in the system, where the multiverse existed in harmony. But now, a force exists who seeks to destroy the balance. 

A singular soul, who is travelling between them, with one goal in mind-- to find and kill every other iteration of themselves--

To become  _ the One _ .

* * *

Ever since the discovery of the multiverse, a task force was created. A new section of the government, made primarily of military and federal police, who had the responsibility to protect the portals that were created between dimensions. 

This department was named the  _ Multiverse Authority _ . It was to remain unknown to the general public, as if word were to get out of such a concept existing, it would cause a mass panic-- not just in this universe, but across the multiverse. 

Rex was one of the officers chosen to be a part of the Multiverse Authority, having already been a police officer for the last ten years. He wasn’t entirely sure  _ why _ they chose him, knowing full well that the other members of his work force were far more qualified, yet here he was.

It took a while to track down and catalogue each of the current existing universes. At last count, there were one hundred and twenty five in total. The sheer concept that there were  _ that many _ different functioning realities all coexisting at once made Rex’s head spin.

They’d learned that the number was ever changing, namely, growing in size. From the information that they’d gathered, every time a black hole imploded, it created a new alternate universe to add to the list. 

Although each universe was unique-- they were still very similar. To get around this, each of them was assigned a unique number, and for the sake of conversation, a code name as well.

Rex’s universe was dubbed  _ Ares _ , after the Greek God of War. No one was entirely sure _ why _ it was chosen, but the name stuck. Shortly after, other similar names were given to the remaining universes, and continued for each new one created.

Part of Rex’s job as a multiverse agent was to ensure that the boundaries between the universes were protected. This included tracking the travel between them-- similar to travelling overseas, everyone had a travel passport-- to ensure only verified and approved people were granted access to travel. It also meant that it was Rex’s job to track down those who dimension jumped illegally, and bring them to justice.

The biggest risk was a concept that hadn’t been proven yet. It was said, that as the life force was shared between other iterations of the same person, you would grow in power after their deaths. That is to say, should your other iterations all be killed, you would gain immeasurable power-- not just strength, but speed and intellect as well.

It was all theory though, at this point-- there was no way they were going to find out if it was true or not.

Due to the risks of the job, much like in the police force, they’d each been assigned partners. Rex’s partner just so happened to be someone he’d worked with previously, but never been paired up with before-- Daniel.

He’d seen him around the precinct before-- it was hard  _ not _ to notice the guy. No one he’d ever met was as passionate about his job as him. That, and the fact that he had an intense stare-- mixed with his sunglasses and scarred face, it was no wonder why most were intimidated by him.

Turned out, he was a rather chill guy once you got to know him. The two of them happened to work well together, much more than he had initially expected. So he couldn’t complain.

That being said, today was a similar day to most. They’d had to spend it tidying up various paperwork and applications-- one of Rex’s less liked requirements of the job. He’d always been more comfortable out of the field, apprehending suspects-- which mixed well with his partner, who had a damn good one-man  _ Bad Cop _ and  _ Good Cop _ routine. Seeing him in action always made Rex’s day.

“How’s the husband?” Rex asked, taking a well-needed drag from his cigarette. It had been another painfully long day, and they were finally getting a moment to themselves to relax, get their shit together, and head home.

Daniel smiled, pulling out his spare change of clothes. “Expecting our second pretty soon.”

He chuckled under his breath. “Aren’t you a lucky man.”

A second kid  _ already _ ? When he’d first met Daniel, he’d never thought of him to be the settling-down type. He was probably right, too-- but a lot of things can change when you find someone who really  _ gets _ you.

What surprised Rex more was that his husband-- Benjamin-- was an astronaut. It seemed to him as such a strange match between the two, but there was something there for them. Either way, Rex was happy for them-- he’d never seen a happier couple.

“What about you? Thinking of settling down anything in the near future?” Daniel asked.

That certainly was a good question... A concept that Rex  _ never _ let himself think too long about. Sure, he’d love to have someone who he could spend his life with, see each night when he got home, but…

After his past experiences, he was better off alone.

“Nah. You know that’s never worked for me,” he shrugged, butting out his cigarette. “Besides, hard to get that done with a job like this.”

“It’s never too late,” Dan replied. “But it will be if you make it.”

Rex smirked. “Wise words.”

He’d certainly think about it. Later. Maybe. At this point he’d convinced himself he wasn’t able to have such…  _ luxuries _ in his life.

Right now, all Rex wanted to do was get home, curl up with a nice glass of scotch, and watch a crappy late-night movie. It wasn’t much, but it was one of his few joys these days. He needed  _ something _ to keep him sane.

* * *

“Hey, _ you--! _ ” Rex yelled, pointing his gun at the suspect currently attempting to evade capture. “ _ Stop--! _ ”

He held his weapon firmly, aiming as best he could as he followed their movements. It was no good. There were too many obstacles, too many innocent bystanders-- there’s no way he could safely get a clean shot here, at this time of the day.

“Shit,” he spat, holstering his weapon and accelerating into a sprint. He couldn’t let this guy get away from him now, not after tracking him this far.

The only information Rex had to go on was this guy’s face, and the fact that he was from one of their neighbouring universes. This meant that they had travelled here illegally, without a travel passport-- and with the number of suspicious murders that had occurred lately, Rex was  _ sure  _ that there was a link between the two.

Regardless, whoever this guy was-- he was _ fast _ . Rex wasn’t going to let that deter him, though. He was determined to catch up and finally arrest this guy before he slipped through their fingers again. But he had to make sure not to hurt anyone in the process, and he was sure this suspect held answers to some of their questions.

Rex wasn’t far behind, keeping a solid pace, and ducking left and right down the maze of alleyways that appeared to make up their city. This guy knew what he was doing-- no doubt they had evaded police enough in their life to get good at it. But it was going to end today. 

As he turned the next corner, Rex was face to face with a locked wire fence-- easily five or six metres high. His target had already, somehow, scaled to the top of it, making it over-- much to Rex’s surprise. He had to think fast-- he couldn’t waste any more time searching for a way around, so he’d need to do the same.

Looking back, Rex was sure he had guessed the height wrong, as he was up and over it in seconds, landing on the ground gracefully, before returning to a sprint. He was close now, only a few metres, he just needed to--

He wasn’t sure if he was getting faster, or if his target was getting slower, but Rex had finally caught up with him-- grasping onto his arm and slamming into the nearest wall. This guy easily had more height and muscle than Rex, yet they practically crumbled in his hold. Before he knew it, they were on the ground, Rex pulling both of his hands behind their back.

Rex blinked in disbelief. Had he always been this  _ strong _ ? Had he always been this  _ fit _ ? He’d barely broken a sweat. In fact, he felt fucking incredible for someone who just rain through half the city.

This was… way too easy.

This... couldn’t be right.

“Get _ off  _ me!” The suspect struggled beneath him, bringing Rex back from his thoughts. He shook his head, getting his mind back on track, tightening cuffs around the man’s wrists and calling it a day.

“Can you give me a hand?” Rex requested, turning to look behind him. It was only then that he realised he was alone, his partner nowhere to be seen.

He blinked, turning to look in the other direction. Nope. Not there either. It was just him. When did they get seperated?

A few moments later, the telltale sound of police sirens honed in on his location-- he’d recognise their squad car anywhere. It pulled up at the entrance of the alleyway, his partner stepping out, with a look on his face that Rex couldn’t quite translate.

Rex got to his feet. “Where’d you go?” He asked, brushing his mess of a fringe out of the way. “I thought you were right behind me.”

His partner stared at him in disbelief. “Do you have  _ any  _ idea how fast you were going? I could write you a ticket for speeding on foot.”

Rex furrowed his brow-- he was sure he was just as fit as his partner-- this didn’t make any sense. Had he really fallen that far behind? It couldn’t be possible-- yet here Daniel was, a few paces from their patrol car, with his tracker in hand.

It was something that Rex had been very apprehensive about when he’d first joined the task force-- the addition of person trackers for all personnel employed-- embedded just below the back of the neck. It was invasive, yes-- but very handy when seperated from another. It’s not like it had that much of a range, maybe fifty kilometres at best, but it had come in handy more often than not, so perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Rex swallowed the lump in his throat. He needed to calm down-- this wasn’t the time or place to panic. This didn’t mean anything, did it? He had been drinking and smoking less lately, maybe his health had improved and that was all it was. 

Yeah… that made sense.

It couldn’t possibly be due to anything else.

Once their suspect was securely fastened in the back of their patrol car, Rex climbed in the passenger side, feeling himself space out a bit. He looked at his hands, flipping them over to look at the back-- perhaps he was just having an off day.

He turned to stare at Daniel, who to his surprise, was actually looking at him with concern. If he wanted to say something, Rex didn’t let him-- speaking up before the other could get a word in.

“I need a drink.”

* * *

The best part of Rex’s day was when he could relax at the pub with a nice cold one. No more work, no more worries, just good company and cold beer. At least, until the next day when he’d be back at it again. But that could always wait until tomorrow.

“You hear the rumours?” Dan asked, placing their beers down on the table and taking a seat opposite.

Rex really didn’t care to ask. But there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind, as if he almost knew what he was going to say. “ _ What _ rumours?”

“About the rogue agent. From  _ Nemesis _ .”

Ah, Nemesis. One of the black-listed dimensions. Travel was highly restricted both to _ and _ from that place. The technology in their dimension was dangerous, causing it to be a high level threat to the rest of the developing universes. Rex himself hadn’t even travelled there, let alone met anyone who originated from there.

It could only ever mean bad news.

“Of  _ course  _ it’s about Nemesis,” he commented, taking a well-needed sip of his drink. “Please-- fill me in.”

Dan looked over his shoulder, eyeing around the other patrons of the establishment before turning back to Rex. He was leaning forward, encroaching his space. The nervousness of his partner was apparent to Rex, which fueled his own anxiety further. What could  _ possibly _ be so bad that it’s making his partner, of all people, act like this?

“They say that he’s been illegally travelling between dimensions... to become  _ the One _ .”

Rex nearly choked on his drink. Had he heard that right? “No way. You mean-- he’s hunting  _ himself  _ down?”

Daniel nodded grimly. “Precisely.”

No… there’s no  _ way  _ that could be true. It was a legend-- a  _ superstition _ . The concept of it was ridiculous to begin with.

During Rex’s travels to other universes, they always took precautions to never encounter or interact with any of their alternative selves. It was already a standard rule to only travel to other universes when absolutely necessary, and to always ensure that their impact was as small as possible-- in fact, they had to be as invisible as possible. The last thing they want is a war between conflicting dimensions.

“That’s all just speculation. There’s no  _ way  _ that’s possible.”

His partner nodded along, placing his drink back on the tale. He didn’t look convinced. “There’s no way to be sure until someone tries it.”

Rex rolled his eyes. “Then why aren’t we out trying to catch him, if he truly _ is  _ up to something as sinister as this? We’d be the first ones on call.” It was true-- they would be the first and last to know, being that was basically their entire job description. 

He shrugged. “I did say it was just a rumour. Let’s hope, for our sake, that that’s all it is.”

Of course. It  _ had _ to be a rumour. Because if it was real, they’d be on the case. In fact, they would have even caught the guy by now, probably interrogated him too. It didn’t make any sense otherwise.

Unless there was something more  _ sinister _ afoot. 

* * *

Emmet had noticed...  _ changes _ , lately. He’d felt different, in a way he couldn’t describe. It had been an on and off occurrence for the last few months, and no matter how he tried to understand, it just didn’t make any  _ sense _ .

He’d never been a particularly active or fit guy so to speak, yet he was finding himself able to run and jump like a professional athlete-- completely by accident, of course. Not only that, but he could  _ swear  _ he was becoming smarter and more knowledgeable by the day, but without any study or effort at all.

Now, Emmet could admit that he’s not the most intelligent guy in the world, but he wasn’t an idiot either. He’d gone to college, worked hard for his degree, and finally gotten into his chosen work field of study-- nursing. But he found that now, things that he’d had to spend weeks learning in the past, he was now soaking up like water.

Perhaps this was the wrong career path to follow after all.

But that was the problem. Emmet felt as if he was becoming a completely different person, in more ways than one. It scared him, more than he could admit. But it wasn’t as if he could talk to someone about this… he was sure they’d all just think he was insane and leave it with that. Diagnose him with one thing or another. So what could he do?

Although Emmet had no explanation behind his sudden intelligence, at least it was easy to fake or hide... unlike his _ other _ symptoms. Which was why he spent as much of his time away from people when it wasn’t required, opting for not only his own safety, but that of others too.

The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally break something, or some _ one _ , and have to explain himself.

They’d lock him up for sure.

* * *

It had been another routine Friday morning at the hospital-- nothing _ particularly  _ out of the ordinary. Dealing with patients was what he spent most of the time of his day doing. Although, this  _ particular  _ patient was making Emmet regret getting out of bed that morning.

The man was clearly on  _ something _ . An unidentified narcotic of some kind was Emmet’s best guess. He was behaving erratically, not allowing anyone to get near him. Anything he could get his hands on was being thrown across towards the nurses, who were doing their best to dodge the onslaught, causing damage to the room they found themselves in.

Emmet was usually okay with situations like this, but this guy was  _ huge _ . He was sure that if he got too close, he’d end up as a patient himself. He had to be careful, yet nothing he was trying right now was working. He needed help. There was no way he could administer anything to the patient to help bring him down if he continued this behaviour.

He turned to the other nurse next to him, who appeared just as frazzled. “Call security. I’ll hold him here.” They nodded, giving Emmet a sympathetic look before darting down the corridor.

Emmet paused a moment, taking a deep breath. Surely they won’t be too long. He can do this. He just needed to hold his ground, keep his arms up in a non-threatening manner, and hope he lives long enough to clock out for the day.

Unfortunately for Emmet,  _ nothing _ was going his way today.

He wasn’t entirely sure what was running through this guy’s head, but he appeared to pause-- staring down at Emmet for a moment and making him feel positively helpless. After a moment, he smiled, coming directly at him-- arm stretched back in what Emmet could only assume would be a punch to the face--

Instinctively, Emmet brought his hands up in front of him, hoping in a way to brace for the pain that he knew was coming. There was a beat, then another-- whatever he was expecting never came. The man’s fist had collided with his arms and he’d barely felt a thing. 

Emmet didn’t have time to question it-- he could feel his adrenaline kicking in.

By this point, he wasn’t thinking-- he latched onto the patient's arm, using his weight against him to topple him over, holding him on the ground. Emmet stared in disbelief. He felt as if he had just gained the power of an entire army. This guy was positively _ powerless  _ beneath him, in his grasp. This wasn’t right. He was sure that there was  _ no way _ he could be this strong.

Emmet felt as if he was in a dream. Nothing was making sense lately. His entire understanding of reality was shifting, everything he thought he knew, now redacted. He couldn’t help but look at his own hands in wonder.

He must be ill.

Thankfully, it was only a few more minutes-- which felt more like an eternity-- before backup arrived, whisking away the problem patient and leaving Emmet alone with his thoughts once more.

He finally turned to the nearest clock-- it was time to go home. He’d never been as thankful to leave as he was right now. His work was done, at least for today. He could worry about whatever  _ this _ was later. He was too tired to care anymore.

Emmet paused a moment to take in a deep breath of fresh air once he was outside. What a day. He was glad that he managed to get through that without getting hurt, but on the other hand-- if he wasn’t careful, it would be other people that would end up being injured by his hands. The thought made him more anxious than he already was.

The good news was, he was  _ finally  _ catching up with Lucy tonight. At least that could help take his mind off things.

The two of them had been best friends since they met at University a few years back. Both of them were doing completely different degrees, but had somehow ended up crossing paths more often than not. Before he knew it, they’d ended up sharing an apartment for the duration of their remaining school years.

Ever since moving out, Emmet had made sure to make time to catch up. He didn’t have many friends, always finding it difficult to socialise, which was rather peculiar considering his job. Sometimes he’d find himself spending so much time around people at work, that by the time it was over, he craved his own company more than anything.

But today was an exception.

The scent of something delicious greeted him as he entered Lucy’s apartment. It was the first thing that day that had let him feel relaxed. He couldn’t wait until the day he had someone who would greet him when he got home, with a nice home cooked meal-- but for now, this was the next best thing.

Considering the strange events that had been occurring in Emmet’s life lately, he wanted to keep them to himself. Not necessarily to protect those around him, but he felt as if he was going to become more of a burden than he already was. Unfortunately for him, Lucy always saw through his bullshit.

“So, you gonna tell me what’s up with you, or what?” She asked, placing their plates and utensils on the nearby coffee table. It was always impossible to keep things from her. He wondered how she did it sometimes.

“I think... that there’s something _ seriously _ wrong with me,” Emmet mumbled. He was curled up on the edge of the couch, holding his legs to his chest. There was too much weird shit going on in his life right now for him to handle.

Lucy placed a firm hand on his shoulder, urging him to meet her gaze. “Look-- if you’re  _ that _ worried about it, why not get yourself a check-up? Or an MRI, or something? I mean-- you _ do  _ work in a hospital after all.”

He couldn’t help but smile in response. Of course she’s always the one with the best ideas and advice. That’s probably why they made such a good team. Considering his profession, he’s surprised that he wasn’t the one providing medical advice.

“Yeah... you’re probably right,” he agreed. “I’ll book myself in next week, just to be sure.”

* * *

“Rex.”

He turned his head to the direction of the door, following the sound of the voice. It was his captain, looking rather defeated. His heart sank.

“With me.”

Shit, this couldn’t be good. 

There weren’t many occasions when his superiors asked to speak to him or his partner, let alone by himself. He turned to Daniel, giving him a concerned shrug as he made his way down the hall, before being ushered into a small interrogation room and taking a seat.

“We have a problem,” the captain said to him, pushing forward a large portfolio of documents.

Rex stared at the offering for a moment, wishing he was anywhere but here. He knew before looking at the contents what it most likely held-- and right now, this was the last thing he wanted to deal with. This couldn’t be happening to him, of all people. 

It just wasn’t  _ fair _ .

He flipped open the cover, feeling his heart rate begin rise as he stared at the photo in front of him. It was a mug shot of himself. Or, at least-- a person who  _ looked  _ like him. He took the photo into his hands, bringing it closer to get a better look at it.

The resemblance was uncanny. This guy looked like a doppelganger of himself, except for a few minor differences. He appeared to be a few years younger, his hair a little longer and tied up in a ponytail. There was also something else-- something that just felt  _ off _ \-- about his smile. It was almost… predatory, in a sense. 

“His name is Axel,” the captain continued with a grim expression. “He hails from the  _ Nemesis _ universe.”

It was as if all of his fears came crashing down all at once around him. He needed to stay calm and think this through. No time for rash decisions.

“Rather fitting,” Rex commented. He was beginning to feel sick. He knew exactly where this conversation was headed. “He’s killing them, isn’t he?”

He received a nod in response, with a gesture towards the remaining papers in the file. Rex took them in his hand, flipping through one after another, each presented with a photograph of someone who looked similar to himself, but different-- sometimes in more way than one.

As he continued, his fear turned into rage.

Rex couldn’t understand how anyone-- let alone an alternate version of himself-- could cause so much chaos and destruction. On top of that, these victims in his hands-- these other selves-- some of them  _ children _ for crying out loud.

By a total count of the people here, there were fifty-seven casualties already. Last time he checked, there were one hundred and twenty five universes. Although it still left many alternatives alive, it might not be for long. If this guy had already murdered this many people in a few months, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. Or how many they might not know about yet.

This guy was absolutely _ insane _ .

Rex slammed the paperwork back on the table, standing up with so much force it caused his chair to topple over. As he stared at his superior, he hoped his actions were enough to suggest what he wanted to do next. 

He  _ knew _ what he had to do. 

“I’m going after him,” he stated, firmly and to the point. 

“No-- absolutely not! It’s far too dangerous for you. Of all people, you need to be _ protected _ \--”

“I don’t need  _ protecting _ !” Rex retorted, raising his voice. “How is anyone else going to match his strength at this point? The only benefit here is that we will both continue to get stronger. Regardless of where he is, I’m the best chance we’ve got at taking this guy down.”

The captain stared at him, speechless. He knew the risks just as much as Rex did. They both knew that they were running out of options  _ and  _ time, and if they didn’t act fast-- if this guy kept killing-- they’d all be _ fucke _ d.

Considering the other party's lack of response, Rex continued. “I know you’ve kept this under wraps until now. And I’m guessing that you’ve already sent out officers who-- most likely-- have returned in body bags,” he paused for breath, hands clenched. “If anyone can do this, it’s  _ me _ .”

A brief silence fell between them, each staring intently at the other. The captain sighed, finally giving in. “You better not make me regret this.”

Rex wasted no time, exiting the room as fast as he arrived and heading to the locker room. He needed to be prepared-- but what could he bring that would be safe? He couldn’t risk shooting another version of himself, especially if there aren’t many left by then. He could try a non-fatal wound, but there’s still a high risk and chance of complications.

Shit. He _ really  _ hadn’t thought this through as much as he’d initially thought.

There was always his years of police training, and knowledge of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat in general. That was going to have to be good enough. They’ll find each other, fight until they can’t anymore, and then he’ll transport them all safely back here.

After that, it would no longer be  _ his  _ problem.

Rex slammed his locked shut, with far more force than was intended. He double-checked that he had everything he needed on him. As he turned to leave, he found his partner waiting for him at the doorway, appearing in much the same state. 

“I’m coming with you,” he said, crossing his arms in front of him.

Rex shook his head. “Not on this one-- you’ve got too much at stake.”

“And you  _ don’t _ ?”

_ No, not really _ , he thought to himself. He doesn’t have a wife or husband, or anyone for that matter. No family waiting for him at home. Other than his job, and his liquor cabinet, he had nothing to show for himself. He was disposable.

Unfortunately for Rex, he knew well enough that it was hopeless to argue with his partner.

The two of them headed off to the transport room. It was a short walk, but Rex’s mind was already racing through all the doubts and concerns he had about how this plan was going to play out. All the ways it could go wrong.

“I  _ hate  _ this part,” Rex stated in dismay. 

Travelling through the wormholes between dimensions was a new kind of discomfort. It was as if all of your molecules were broken down, thrown around, and then re-assembled in a matter of minutes. It hurt like hell, and usually meant you were incapacitated for a short while after arriving at your destination. That was what concerned him most. If someone was waiting for them on the other side, their chances of survival were ever more slim.

“It’ll be over soon. We just need to go to the dimension he’s currently at, apprehend him, and be back by dinner,” Dan said to him with a half-smile.

It was awfully optimistic of his partner. Rex hoped it went according to plan, but the fact that this guy--  _ Axel _ \-- hadn’t been caught by now, made his doubts ever more prominent. His main concern was ensuring Daniel’s safety. At least Rex stood a chance against this guy. He had to make sure he didn’t fail.

They’d better make this count.

As the two of them stood in the transport room, Rex watched as the wormhole began to materialise in front of them. His partner stepped next to him, clapping a firm hand on his shoulder.

“You understand that, should it even come down to the two of you, and he  _ dies _ \-- well, you  _ know _ what I have to do. Nothing personal, you understand.” Dan smirked, holstering his gun. 

Rex knew exactly what he was getting at. Whether or not he wanted such power, if it were to occur, he’d be just as big as a liability as if it happened to anyone else.

He just had to make sure that neither of them-- himself or his doppleganger-- died. Easy as that. 

“I won’t let it get to that. But if it does... I’ll count on you.”


	2. Janus

“ _ Fuck--! _ ” Rex swore as he writhed on the ground, arms clutching at his sides. It had been a long time since he’d last gone through a dimension rift, and it was just as bad as he remembered.

He compared the feeling as something akin to sleep paralysis-- you’re there, awake, with the world continuing around you-- but you can’t do anything, trapped in your own body--  _ vulnerable. _

That was why he hated it.

Rex managed to turn his head enough to look to his right, thankfully seeing his partner there with him. He appeared to be in the same state-- however, unlike Rex, he was patient, still even-- waiting it out.

He knew it would probably be easier, and less painful-- but what could he say? He was not a patient person.

By the time Rex got to his feet, he began scoping their surroundings. Wherever they were, it was late-- around midnight, if he was guessing accurately. There were no other signs of life around them. Nothing but quiet roads and forests of trees for miles, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind - creating an eerie atmosphere around them. 

“Lovely,” Rex commented sarcastically to no one in particular, as he pulled Daniel to his feet. “I take it we arrived successfully, then?”

The other man dusted himself off, taking a moment to straighten up his uniform. 

Rex wasn’t entirely sure what their next step was going to be, now that they were here. Honestly, he had a bad habit of not necessarily thinking ahead. Which was a good reason for him to bring company along with him.

“So, where do we--”

He stopped dead in his tracks, as a cold shiver ran down his spine. His eyes were wide open, alert-- there was something, some  _ feeling _ \-- nothing like he’d ever experienced before.

Daniel stared at him with concern, but remained silent.

“He’s close,” Rex stated in disbelief. “I can  _ feel _ him.”

He knew it was a possibility, but this was completely different than what he had originally thought.

It was so hard to describe, to put into words-- and yet it reminded him that he shared his face, his soul, his life force-- with this  _ animal. _

This needed to end. Now.

“Wait--” Daniel stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder, turning him around once more. “Let’s make sure we’re synced-- in case we find ourselves in trouble.”

Their wrist communications not only let them find one another, but they could easily keep track of the current dimension they were in, as well as locating when and where the next wormholes would materialise, and where it would take them. Without it, they could become stranded in the worst of scenarios, and never find a way home.

This was it. They were finally here.

Rex took a moment, closing his eyes and focusing on the pull in his chest. He just needed to pinpoint a direction, or something like that-- better than wandering around aimlessly and wasting time. 

He held out his hand in the direction that felt most prominent before opening his eyes. Although it was dark, he could see a building of some kind in the distance-- an old factory, by the looks of it. Hopefully, for everyone's sake, it was abandoned. 

“That way?” Daniel enquired, raising an eyebrow. “You’re _ sure _ ?”

Rex nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

* * *

Rex pushed the door of the warehouse open slowly, keeping his weapon drawn and close. The area was dimly lit, but he knew he was in the right place. The odd sensation in his chest had grown more prominent as they approached, indicating that he couldn’t be too far from their target by now. 

The room they were in was massive, and was far too much ground for them to cover together. He turned to his partner, staring intently, as he waved his hand to direct him to the opposite side of the floor. They nodded briefly, before heading down opposite sides of the building.

There was an opening up ahead, only a few paces away. 

A single person stood in the centre, completely still. 

Rex stopped dead in his tracks, holding his breath as he took in what he saw before him. It was just as he expected-- practically a copy of himself. But there was something different about him, the way he stood-- the way he held himself-- that was completely alien to him.

Not only that, but the large military-issued knife in his right-hand, hovering by his side, was completely drenched in blood.  _ Fresh blood. _

_ He must be waiting for the next opportunity to jump _ , Rex thought to himself. So not only does he know the locations and coordinates of their other selves, but he must also use a device to track the wormholes as well. 

He’d underestimated just how organised this guy was.

Which begged the question-- how the  _ hell  _ did he get his hands on such technology, even from within the Nemesis universe? Surely they wouldn’t be giving it out for free, to anyone. This guy must have a way in to their systems, to access this information--

Unfortunately for Rex, he wasn’t quite as stealthy as he thought.

“I know you’re there,” Axel spoke, nearly singing the words. The voice was mocking, in a way. 

Rex couldn’t help but cringe, snapping him back into reality.

_ There goes the element of surprise. _

He took a few steps out from the shadows, remaining in a defensive stance-- waiting for his opponent to make the next move. He couldn’t be too careful. He still wasn’t sure what this guy was capable of. 

“I was wondering when they’d send someone else.” Axel turned, staring him straight in the eyes. A sly smile spread across his features as he appeared to recognise the man before him. “Ah, it’s  _ you _ . How…  _ convenient _ .”

Rex flinched on instinct-- it was like looking into a really fucked-up mirror. Even though he knew what he was up against, nothing quite prepared him for actually seeing the real thing.

Regardless, it was just as he had imagined. A near-perfect replica of himself. Perhaps a little more scruffy, tied up hair, and the one thing that was different between the two of them--  _ his eyes _ . There was something about them. Something that just felt  _ off _ . His smile, too. It was…  _ sinister _ .

They were facing each other now, but Rex still had no words. There was nothing he could say to get this guy to comply, to come along with them willingly-- so he might as well remain armed.

Rex’s eyes flickered to his left, noting his partner silently walking to the other side of the room, behind their target. He needed to make sure he wasn’t seen-- the last thing he wanted to be responsible for was his partner’s early demise. 

He needed to buy them some time.

Axel opened up a small device that was strapped to his forearm. From it, an image materialised in front of them-- displaying a photograph of Rex, followed by far too much personal information about him for his liking.

_ Where the hell did he get that!?  _ It was-- just like one of their standard-issue communicators, which as far as Rex was concerned, was technology only available in his home dimension. The only way this guy could have possibly gotten his hands on something like that is by either stealing or killing someone. He bet it was probably both.

“Ah yes-- let’s see…  _ Rex Dangervest _ , hailing from the  _ Ares  _ dimension--  _ and _ you’re with the  _ Multiverse Authority. _ How wonderful,” he closed the device, shooting Rex a wicked grin. “You’ve saved me some time by coming here yourself.”

Rex had had enough of this. He never realised just how much his own face could piss him off-- he was beginning to lose his patience, what little he had left.

“Then you know why I’m here.” His hand was fidgeting on his pistol, yet he knew he couldn’t risk either of them getting killed-- at least not now. Hand-to-hand combat was his preferred mode of fight in this case-- but it was that knife that was his main concern.

“Let me guess,” Axel placed a thoughtful hand on his chin. “You’re here to arrest me and drag me to some dreary little prison cell?”

Rex already knew that there was no way he was going to come willingly. He’d prepared himself for a fight. At least this guy was smart enough to figure it out.

His hands clenched at his sides. He knew he was in for a fight. One thing he still wasn’t prepared for was just how the next few minutes would go, considering both of their new-found strength and agility.

“Precisely,” Rex replied, bringing his hands up in front of him as he changed into a fighting stance. “Whether you’re willing, or not.”

* * *

Rex grunted in pain as he was thrown across the room, coming to a halt as his back hit the wall. He felt his energy running lower by the minute-- and yet no matter how many swings he took at this guy-- he was barely leaving a scratch on him.

By this point, the pain was numbing. He’d lost count of how many times he’d been cut-- blood pouring from the wounds on his arms and sides. Even though his opponent had a knife-- that could very well kill him, given a  _ direct hit _ \-- he was barely breaking his skin.

Was this guy just  _ trying _ to piss him off?

Rex wiped the blood from his cheek, rising to his feet once more. “Is this a  _ game _ to you?” He spat, feeling his anger rising.

“Not at all,” Axel smiled, as if he was completely innocent. “Just killing time.”

Before Rex could even comprehend his next move, his opponent was directly in front of him-- turning him around in an instant, and slamming him face-first into the wall. The dizziness made him wince, mustering his strength to fight back, as he felt it slipping from his grasp.

This man was certifiably _ insane _ . He needed to be stopped. That thought was what kept him going.

Rex struggled against the hold, to no avail. He knew he was losing, but he couldn’t give up. Not with so much at stake. Axel was in his personal space, breathing down his neck as he spoke to him.

“I  _ like _ you. You’re the first one who actually came looking for me. You’re the first one who didn’t run. The first to actually put up a  _ fight _ \--”

Not only did this guy  _ really _ like the sound of his own voice, but the situation was escalating faster than Rex had anticipated.

“Now, as much as I’m going to enjoy this... First, we need some  _ privacy _ .”

As if on queue, another dimensional rift sprung into life behind them, nearly knocking Rex off his feet. Axel didn’t let him move-- his arm had moved around his neck, keeping him in place-- while he could feel the end of his knife hovering by his back.

So  _ this  _ was what he was waiting for.

Rex’s eyes darted across the room, watching as his mostly uninjured partner struggled to his feet. He’d been so busy he hadn’t even had the chance to check on the other man, or at least make sure he was alive-- 

Words failed him, feeling the knife move to his neck, the sharp edge threatening to sever his skin. He was pulled backwards on instinct, nearly losing his balance, as he felt himself falling.

The last thing he could comprehend was Daniel calling his name, before the world disappeared into nothingness.

* * *

Rex still wasn’t used to this-- the pain, discomfort-- that came with portal travel.

Now  _ really  _ wasn’t the time for this. He needed to get up, to get  _ away _ , before--

He stared in disbelief as Axel approached him, as he sat slumped against a wall. How could he possibly be up and moving already, having only just jumped moments ago?

Panic was setting in which each breath, every muscle in his body screaming as he tried desperately to move. But it was no use.

A firm hand caught his neck, dragging him upright, trapping him between his enemy, with no escape in sight.

Axel was smiling at him, which unnerved him further. He was afraid of what fucked-up thoughts were going through his mind, what intentions he had, what he planned on doing to him--

A laugh echoed throughout the dark alleyway they found themselves in, snapping Rex from his thoughts. The madman was playing with his knife, dragging it down the side of Rex’s face as he tried his best not to make a sound as the blood crept down his neck.

Finally, they pulled back, giving Rex much-needed room. Yet his body still failed him.

At least now, he could--

His breath caught in his throat, eyes wide. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t make a sound, as they died in his throat on each attempt.

All he could do is look down, as he stared at the base of the knife, sticking out of his side.

As quickly as it was there, it was gone.

“I’ve made sure not to hit any vital organs,” Axel whispered, close to his ear, holding the knife firmly in his side. “You’ll bleed out slowly, _ painfully _ \-- unless you think  _ fast _ .” 

Rex couldn’t move-- the pain radiating from his side was indescribable. He could feel his body going into shock, muscles refusing to cooperate even more so than before, as he wished desperately to get away from here. 

To get somewhere  _ safe _ .

He couldn’t die. Not here. Not  _ now _ .

Rex slumped against the wall, allowing gravity to take hold, falling into a heap. The figure before him crouched over him, menacingly. It took a moment for him to realise what was happening, and by the time he did-- he noted that his communicator was gone-- leaving him stranded in whatever shithole this was.

“I’ll be back for you,” Axel chuckled, wiping the blood from his knife across his jeans, before returning it to its holster. “You better be ready for a  _ fight _ .”

All Rex could hear was his breathing, hands covered in blood, attempting to keep his head upright. He needed to get out of here. But there was…  _ so much blood _ .

Footsteps echoed in the distance, as the man he promised to capture escaped at his own leisurely pace. This was it. He was a failure.

He blinked a few more times, attempting desperately to wake up, to move, do  _ anything _ \-- He couldn’t stay here, he couldn’t  _ die _ here-- 

By the time he managed to get his eyes open again, there was someone else, someone in front of him-- but  _ who? _

Fear shot through him at the thought of that madman coming back to finish the job. His eyes wouldn’t focus, head feeling too heavy to move. 

Consciousness was slipping through his fingers, as he welcomed the oncoming darkness.

The only sound he could recall was a voice, soft and caring, whispering into the abyss.

“Hey--  _ can you hear me? _ ”

* * *

Emmet was exhausted. More so than usual. 

Having this many long shifts in a row was beginning to catch up with him. Thankfully, he’d managed to get the next few days off, and nothing sounded better to him right now than wrapping himself up in bed with a warm meal and just switching off.

At least, that was the plan.

His apartment was very close to his work, being only a five block walk home. Generally that was a good thing, and something he’d planned when he moved into the area. But this time of year, when it was positively freezing, the trek home always felt several times longer than it actually was. 

Emmet had two options-- continue his way around the block, which was the safest option, or risk taking a shortcut down the next alleyway, and getting back to his warm home sooner. It was tempting, if the alleyway in question wasn’t such a terrifying place to be at this hour of the night. Not just due to the darkness, but the possibility of shading kinds of people being able to corner him. It could just all be in his head, but he didn’t want to risk being mugged.

There was something different about it today, as he paused just short of the alley. It was still dark, being close to midnight, but there was an odd feeling. It was like a pull at his chest, an urge for him to stop and go that direction, to take the shortcut. It was one of the weirdest experiences Emmet had ever had, and he couldn’t quite explain  _ why _ .

Still, he didn’t want to risk it, shaking the thought from his mind as he continued down the footpath.

He was stopped yet again after only a few steps, the pull returning again and urging him to stop. 

So he did, much to his confusion.

He turned his head again in the direction of the darkness, nerves beginning to set in. This didn’t make any sense-- maybe he was just tired. Yeah, that would explain it. How could he have taken this route countless times, and somehow, only today of all days, it’s different?

It was such a weird feeling that he couldn’t even begin to describe it. Regardless, his feet didn’t want to continue as much as he did.

So he gave up. No point fighting it at this point. Let’s just get this over with.

As Emmet headed down the alleyway, he moved as quickly as he could, keeping a close eye in front of him, as well as behind. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t being followed.

As he rounded the corner, he tripped-- falling in a heap to his surprise. In that brief moment, he panicked-- thinking he’d been duped after all. But there was no one around. With the light sifting down between the buildings, it was clear that he was alone.

He quickly scrambled to his feet, feeling even more desperate to get home at this point. 

A soft sound-- almost like a grunt-- startled him. His eyes were wide, studying his surroundings as he searched for the source. Perhaps he wasn’t as alone as he had thought.

Before he knew what he was doing, he scuttled a few feet away in surprise, seeing someone on the ground, hunched over in the corner. He clutched at his chest, feeling as if he narrowly avoided a heart attack.

“Hello?” Emmet yelled from a safe distance, holding his hands protectively around himself. The figure on the ground didn’t respond. “Hey-- can you hear me?” He tried again, trying to make sure his anxiety didn’t get the better of him. He moved forward slowly, until he was only a few paces away. Still no response.

The silence was deafening-- he was at a loss of what to do. Should he find a payphone and call an ambulance? Was he alive or just a random drunk? Should he continue his trip home and pretend he didn’t see anything?

Emmet squatted down next to the man cautiously, reaching out a hand towards his neck. He placed two fingers against the carotid artery, breathing a sigh of relief as he felt a pulse. It was on the weak side, but it was there. At least he wasn’t dead. Certainly didn’t smell like a drunk either.

He screwed up his nose as the scent of fresh blood filled the air, eyes widening. That wasn’t a good sign. It was then, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed that the stranger was clutching his side. Shit-- he was hurt. 

This was bad. 

Emmet reached forward, inspecting the wound to find it far deeper and more serious than the others. There was blood everywhere-- soaking into his clothes and skin. This guy needed serious medical attention-- and  _ quick _ . 

Without any further hesitation, he removed his scarf, shuddering as he felt the cool breeze against his neck. He screwed up the garment in his hands, leaning forward to press it against the wound. He needed to make sure he could stop the bleeding first, before attempting to move him. His action caused the man to let out a pained sound. Emmet wasn’t sure if he was coming around or not, and remained focused on what he was doing.

He tried his best to not shout in surprise as his wrist was suddenly enclosed in a tight grip. He paused, staring into the man’s emerald eyes in surprise and he considered what his next words should be.

“A-are you okay?” Emmet eventually asked. Considering the situation, he was otherwise lost for words.

The man didn’t reply, continuing to hold onto him and stared into his eyes, as if he was searching for something. Emmet wasn’t sure what he was thinking, and was beginning to have doubts about this entire situation. 

The two of them remained like that for what felt like hours. The man’s eyes eventually fluttered, as he grit out the first words he’d spoken since Emmet arrived.

“No hospitals,” he breathed out, barely above a whisper. After another few seconds, he proceeded to pass out, finally relieving Emmet of the death-grip he’d had on him.

Alright then, no hospitals. That… couldn’t be a good sign. He must be in some serious trouble with someone-- the police? Emmet cringed at the thought. The last thing he wanted to do was aid a criminal, let alone become one himself.

But there was something about this guy-- he really didn’t give off that vibe. If anything, he seemed like a guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, Emmet had made a promise to himself years ago that he was going to help people in need. He wasn’t going to hold a bias. If someone was sick, or injured-- it was his duty to help them, regardless of who they were.

That left him with one option left-- his house. 

For the first time, Emmet was thankful of these unexplainable super-powers he’d recently acquired. It would certainly make this trip easier for him, especially considering the size of this guy. He wasn’t much taller than Emmet, but damn if he wasn’t ripped. Not as if he was looking, or anything like that.

Once he was sure that he’d gotten the bleeding under control, he stood back up, taking a second to orient himself with their surroundings. It was still quiet, not a single soul had passed by here since he’d arrived. It was fairly late, after all. Better get this guy back home before it got any worse. He’d need to assess the full state of the damage done to him before he could relax.

As gently as he could, Emmet placed one of the man’s arms around his neck, pulling him up with surprisingly little effort, and using his other arm to keep him steady. It was times like this he was glad he lived so close to work. It would hopefully only take him a few minutes to get there.

Emmet just prayed that this guy didn’t wake up anytime soon… or for any confused bystanders to see them pass. If so, he could always pretend they were a couple of drunks. That usually worked.

He shook his head.  _ Shit _ \-- what was he getting himself into? This better not come back to bite him on the ass later.

* * *

Emmet was _ way _ out of his comfort zone. 

He hadn’t  _ quite _ thought this through as much as he had imagined. Here he was, standing in the middle of the bathroom in his small apartment, with a half-dead stranger bleeding on his floor.

He didn’t have time to think about it. Just act as if it was any other stranger that needed help.

The first thing he needed was some supplies. He was sure there were some around the house.

Emmet worked fast, gathering his first aid kit, spare towels, a large bowl of water, a pair of scissors, and any strong painkillers that he still had lying around. At least now all this junk was of use to him.

After seeing the full extent of the damage, Emmet tried not to gasp. This guy had a serious amount of cuts and bruises, on top of the more severe stab wound. He’d seen all kinds of injuries at work, but nothing quite like this. It was  _ brutal _ .

The guy was still out cold, and hopefully, would stay that way until he was done. 

Emmet barely cut through his shirt before a sudden, firm hand was at his shoulder. He gasped in shock, but by now he wasn’t surprised by the action. This guy was a fighter.

He stared into Emmet’s eyes through his messy hair, holding on to him as if he was going to fall if he didn’t. He remained calm, reaching for the hand and pulling back slowly.

“You’re safe. I’m just going to treat your wounds.”

After another tense moment, he passed out again. Emmet couldn’t stop himself from letting out a sigh of relief. That could have gone much worse. But the worst was yet to come. Hopefully now, he can do his job without being interrupted again.

He began with the most severe of the injuries, before making his way to the less life-threatening ones. Regardless of how well he treated them, it was still going to take a few weeks to heal. He just hoped that this guy was nice enough to live with until he was healthy enough to leave.

When Emmet was sure that every last injury had been attended to, he sat back on his feet, taking a moment to catch his breath. He hadn’t really thought this far ahead. The next best thing to do is to get this guy into his bed, administer the strongest painkillers he had… and wait. If all went well, there would be no complications-- otherwise there’s no way he could keep him out of a hospital. 

He couldn’t let someone die on his watch.

By now, the bathroom floor was covered in blood and discarded medical supplies. Emmet groaned, staring at his watch. It was already past two o’clock in the morning, and he felt like he was going to pass out from sleep deprivation if he didn’t finish this up soon.

As he got to his feet, he pulled up his patient as gently as possible, trying his best not to cause any further damage. Navigating to his room didn’t cause him too much trouble, and he managed to get him tucked in with no further injuries.

The last thing for him to do was administer an IV drip and some painkillers, and call it a night.

All in all, everything went better than expected.

When Emmet was finally finished, he slumped on the couch, suddenly feeling like he had a huge weight on his shoulders. He needed to get changed, to shower, and most definitely eat something. But he just couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer.

* * *

Rex was certain that he’d been hit by a car. Or maybe a truck. It was the only explanation he could muster right now to explain the amount of pain and discomfort he felt. Even his eyes weren’t cooperating with him, barely opening before giving up. His body was fighting him for consciousness, but he’d had enough sleep. His memory was still fuzzy, but he knew he was in danger, he could  _ feel _ it--

Which led him to his next thought, as he stared around the very unfamiliar room--

_ Where the hell was he? _

He moved to sit up, which was a mistake. A sharp pain shot up his side, causing his strength to disappear as he fell back down again. Shit, he was injured-- and it was far worse than he’d first realised. He tried his best to look down at himself, noting he was mostly unclothed, and covered in an absurd amount of bandages. Arms, legs, chest… everything he could see.

What could he have possibly gotten himself into?

His memory was foggy, and failing to assist him at all. The last thing he remembered was hopping through a portal, with his partner, and--

A brief wave of panic overtook him as he thought of Daniel-- maybe he was the one that brought him here. He hoped so, but he couldn’t shake a fear of dread that was lingering in the back of his mind. They were on a mission together, most certainly, but after that…

Rex decided, for the time being, to give up on thinking-- his head clearly wasn’t going to work with him. For now, he needed to find Daniel, or at least figure out how the hell he got here. With a hand on his side, he threw his legs off the bed, using the weight to help him get to his feet. He had a feeling he probably shouldn’t be moving, but he needed to do something-- or at least figure out where he was.

That, and a very tall glass of water was exactly what he needed.

As he reached the door of the room, he turned the handle slowly, silently-- he was still unsure where he was, and he could be with an enemy for all he knew. He had to play this out safe, considering his lack of weapons and clothes.

A soft voice greeted his ears as he peered around the door frame, but it wasn’t directed at him.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I told you, I’m  _ fine _ \--”

There was a young man standing by the wall. He was an inch or two shorter, with neatly cropped hair. He was wearing what looked like medical scrubs, which only confused Rex further-- he was definitely in someone’s house, not a hospital.

No matter how hard Rex thought, he couldn’t place the voice. It didn’t sound familiar at all. He wondered if they were strangers, but that wouldn’t make any sense. No one would possibly look after someone like him if they didn’t know each other, so he must know  _ something _ about the situation.

“I just need a few days off. Yeah, I know I owe you one. Remind me later.” 

Rex remained where he was in the door frame of the room, one hand on his side as he felt the pain radiate, the other keeping him upright. No matter how hard he focused, he couldn’t shake this feeling of vertigo.

“I’ll see you then,” the young man said, finally hanging up with a loud sigh.

Which reminded him… He was no longer in his home dimension, was he? That’s right, that rang a bell. Which meant he must have been on an important mission. Probably after someone dangerous. That would explain his condition. But he still felt it was unrelated to the man in front of him.

“What have I gotten myself into?” The stranger muttered to himself, still unaware that he was no longer alone.

Rex couldn’t help but smirk. He wasn’t sure why he found this situation so funny. Perhaps the pain was finally getting to him. “‘Fraid I don’t have any answers to that, kiddo.”

The yelp of surprise that proceeded only made him laugh, for some reason-- which was a poor response, only causing more pain to his already sore body. He had a sneaking suspicion that he might just be high on something. Painkillers, hopefully. That would explain it.

“What are you doing up?” Suddenly, the shorter man was up in his personal space, inspecting him. All Rex could think about was how lovely his emerald coloured eyes were. “You need to lie down, your injuries are still quite severe. That last thing you need is--”

Rex decided to stop him right there, raising a finger. “Woah, slow down there, kiddo.” He blinked a few times, vision becoming cloudy. “How exactly did I get here?”

“I found you bleeding out, in an alleyway...” he was concerned, looking almost pained as he spoke. “You needed help. So I brought you here.”

He took a moment to stare down at the job done to his wounds, then back to the young man. He was expertly patched up. He hadn’t thought about it until now.

If he was understanding the situation correctly, this kid-- who just happened to be a doctor of some sort-- found him, a random stranger covered in blood, and just-- brought him into his own home?  _ What sense did that make? _

“You’re... kinda young to be a doctor,” it was more of a question than a statement, but Rex was still feeling rather out of it, the words tumbling out on their own.

The shorter man shuffled on his feet, averting his eyes momentarily. Was he… shy?

“Nurse, actually.”

* * *

Emmet wasn’t the most social kind of person, so he had no clue how to approach this situation, or what to say for that matter. But he knew that the silence that suddenly fell between them was too awkward for him to handle.

“My name’s Emmet,” he offered with a smile. It was a start, at least.

The man raised an eyebrow. “Rex,” he stated bluntly. “Thanks... For helping me.” He was mumbling now. Was he not used to people being nice to him?

“It was nothing,” Emmet insisted, not trying to fish for compliments or anything like that-- but he was relieved that this guy wasn’t as violent or dangerous as he was afraid he might be. He still needed to get him back to bed, before--

Rex wobbled, losing balance as he tried to take a step back. Emmet knew it was going to happen sooner or later, quickly grasping onto his arm and placing it around his neck. He managed to keep them both upright for the moment, silently cursing himself for getting caught chatting when he should have put him straight back to bed.

“You shouldn’t be on your feet yet, you’re over exerting yourself,” he turned his head to get a better look at Rex’s face. He appeared to be uncomfortable, which wasn’t a good sign. “Are you in pain?”

“Not really,” the reply came quiet, almost breathless. Emmet knew it was a bullshit answer. He needed to get him lying down again before he passed out.

Without wasting another moment, Emmet lead him back to the bed. “The painkillers will probably wear off soon. You need rest.” He took another moment to double check the stiches, finding they were all still in place, before re-administering the IV and painkillers. Somehow, this guy had managed to pull out the IV without noticing.  _ How does that even happen? _

As Emmet turned to leave, the familiar feeling of a hand grasping at his wrist returned once more. He turned to look at his patient--  _ Rex--  _ who was staring at him with an expression that he couldn’t quite identify. As if he’d just remembered something important.

“Wait-- did you... see someone else who looks like me… back there?” Rex asked, sounding less coherent by the minute.

He blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Someone who looks like you? Like-- a twin?” He raised any eyebrow.

“Yeah, sure-- like a twin.” His words came out slurred, and Emmet had to assume that he wasn’t in his right mind anymore. It was one of the weirdest things he’d been asked. But at least, in this case, easy to answer.

“Hm. Nope, didn’t see anyone there except you.” 

Rex appeared to relax at his words, releasing his hand with what Emmet could only describe as a sigh of relief, confusing him further. Before he could ask, Rex was out cold again.

Maybe he’d leave the questions for later.

Their conversation, as brief as it was, had just raised even more questions in Emmet’s mind. 

Why would he ask such a weird question--  _ twins _ ? Unless, he actually did have a twin, and was looking for them. But that didn’t make any sense-- who was it that put him in such a state? Whoever it was, they were meticulous with a knife-- causing as much pain but as little life-threatening damage as possible. He was certainly thankful for that, in a way-- it made patching him up a much easier job, but still--

They must _ really _ hate this guy, or enjoy inflicting pain-- hell, maybe it’s both. It’s still pretty messed up, regardless of their intentions. What could this guy have possibly done to deserve such-- borderline  _ torture _ ?

Emmet shook his head. It didn’t matter. What mattered was making sure this guy in his bed recovered, and didn’t die in his apartment-- because he’d need one hell of a story to get himself out of this mess as is.

It was his job to help people. And that was exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

“You can’t shoot me,” Axel chuckled, entertained by the spectacle in front of him.

Daniel was out of breath. He could feel his knees shaking, threatening to give out beneath him. He’d spent an unfathomable number of hours chasing him-- jumping from dimension to dimension--

He’d managed to track down Axel after a few more jumps, but it was beginning to take its toll on his body. He didn’t have superpowers, he wasn’t immortal, and it was catching up with him.

But he needed to make sure Rex was alright, as optimistic as it sounded.

“What did you do with my partner?” He yelled.

Axel paused briefly, before letting out a harsh laugh. “Oh, he’s _ fine _ . I’ve left him in a nice, safe place, so I can deal with him later.”

_ What? What the fuck did that mean!? _

“ _ Wh _ \--Why should I believe you?” He asked, voice lower than before. His chest was burning, each word causing him to overexert himself. “Why wouldn’t you just  _ kill _ him--?”

“You see, that’s the difference,” the madman frowned, clapping his hands together, as if he was about to give a speech. “He gives me a challenge-- he puts up a  _ fight _ \-- unlike these... others. I want to face him last, to see if he truly  _ is  _ as strong as he believes he is.”

Daniel stood his ground, letting the words sink in. As glad as he was that Rex-- _ hopefully _ \-- wasn’t dead… It still meant that the others who shared their soul were at risk.

Rex may not be here, and he may be alive, but who knows what dimension-- or  _ where _ in that dimension-- he was stranded. This psychopath could’ve locked him up somewhere for all he knew. 

If he could survive long enough, and keep tracking Axel-- then maybe,  _ just  _ maybe-- he’d manage to find which dimension he needed to jump to. So long as Rex’s tracker wasn’t damaged, he’d be able to find him, whether he was dead or not.

“You’re mad,” the cop spat in disgust, clutching at his chest. He reached out for the closest wall on instinct, feeling his energy running out.

Axel rolled his eyes, waving him off with a dismissive hand gesture. “You’re no threat to me, so you might as well give up now. But-- if I  _ do  _ see you again-- I  _ will _ kill you.” He added with a smile. 

It was as if this was all an elaborate game to him.

Daniel covered his eyes as another large wormhole materialised a few metres from them, knocking him off balance. 

The figure in front of him stood, looming in the light of the portal. He was hesitating, which surprised Daniel the most. There must be more to this guy than they’d first thought.

“What could you  _ possibly _ want with all that power?” 

It was a ridiculous thing to say, especially asking someone with such questionable mental stability. But he needed to understand. Perhaps then he’d be able to better predict his next moves. They needed the upper hand if they were going to stop him.

“Power?” Axel turned to look at him, appearing almost  _ offended _ by the concept. “Nothing but an added bonus.” He shrugged. “The real point is being  _ unique _ . Only  _ I _ am me. No one else. I will be the  _ only one _ . And you won’t be able to stop me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing block is being a real bastard to me right now, but I'm determined to finish this story, even if updates are a little slower than usual...
> 
> Also please let me know what you think, I love and appreciate comments and feedback! They really help motivate me to write more too ヽ(‘ ∇‘ )ノ


	3. Hermes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, after way too long... I sorted out my notes and managed to get a relatively cohesive chapter. I just kept adding and changing scenes, and I'm way too critical of my own writing...
> 
> Many thanks to my friends on discord who helped me get my shit together and get this finished! You know who you are :3c
> 
> Enjoy! :)

In the second before Rex passed out, everything came flooding back to him in an instant. 

Like a dream. 

Or a really fucked-up nightmare.

He was injured. He was stranded. He was alone. And most certain-- he was in danger. If not now, then soon. He needed to organise himself, get together a plan, options--  _ anything _ .

But his groggy mind and tired body disagreed with him.

Rex wasn’t entirely sure how long he’d been out once more, but he knew he needed to get up again. He could feel himself covered in sweat. It made no sense-- the air was freezing, yet he felt as if he was stuck outside on a summer's day. Regardless, he couldn’t ignore the call of nature any longer.

It was surprisingly difficult to get himself out of bed this time, yet the pain was dulled compared to his last outing. He hoped it was due to some weaker painkillers. Yet he still cringed at the thought of when they were going to wear off.

His reflection in the bathroom mirror startled him more than he would have expected. As if he didn’t even recognise himself. And for a moment-- he didn’t.

When… when the hell did he start growing a  _ beard _ ? Stubble was always a necessity, sure-- but this was getting out of control. He could only guess, by the look of himself, that he’d been here for a few days by now.

That was in addition to the multitude of various cuts, and some rather angry looking bruises, which completed the picture of him looking like complete shit.

Rex sighed, continuing to keep a firm hand on his side, on the worst of his wounds. 

It was still dark out. It was quiet. Perhaps a few more hours of rest couldn’t hurt.

* * *

A loud bang, followed by a muffled clutter, is what stirred Rex from his slumber. It took him a few minutes to adjust, as his eyes were still hell-bent on him staying in bed for the near future. 

But he knew he’d slept more than enough at this point.

The pain in his stomach agreed with him, too.

Shit, when was the last time he’d eaten? He couldn’t even remember  _ what _ his last meal was. That could only be a bad sign. He needed to get up and re-fuel. Then he’d hopefully have the brainpower to think about his next move.

He took his time getting into an upright position, considering his last conversation with his  _ saviour--  _ which was now a bit of a blur. This was going to be… interesting. Awkward might be a better description. 

As his mind wandered, he scoped out the surroundings of the room again. He couldn’t see anything that was familiar to him. His clothes, his badge, his gun, his personal items-- nothing was to be found. 

Rex looked down, taking in his appearance. Well, at least he was wearing briefs. That would have to do for now.

He reached up to his collarbone, finding his necklace still intact. He breathed a sigh of relief, looking down at it just to make sure. It was a simple golden chain, with a small ring looped inside it. 

A plain band, with a secret engraving.

Rex always kept it hidden. It was irreplaceable, after all.

At least he still had this.

He was slow as he made his way to the doorway, opening it gradually and using the door frame to hold himself upright. His movements were still rather limited, on top of the painkillers making him feel weak and queasy. 

But he was going to lose his sanity if he didn’t get up for just a little while. Even if it was only to eat.

“You alright?” Rex asked, watching the other man scramble to pick up a mess of books that were strewn across the floor. He appeared rather flustered and panicked. 

_ Shit, what was his name again? _

“Sorry, did I wake you up?” He was back on his feet, giving Rex’s body a once-over from a distance. It wasn’t something that was new to him, but he assumed it was because of the injuries in this case. “How are you feeling?”

Rex tried his best not to chuckle, feeling it hurt his already painful chest. “Like a guy who got stabbed.”

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, and he wasn’t exactly sure what to say, or if the other was waiting for his next move. He wanted to ask his name, but felt like a bit of a dick for not being able to remember.

This guy did save him, after all. Yet he couldn’t even remember his  _ name _ ?

“You might have forgotten, so let me reintroduce myself,” the younger man held out a hand, with a cheery smile. “I’m Emmet.”

He accepted the hand in a firm shake without even thinking.

“Rex,” his voice was raspy, and the movements of his chest when he tried to breath was unbearably irritating. “I, uh-- where-- did I have anything on me?”

Emmet practically froze at his words, which made him immediately concerned. He then turned slightly, pointing awkwardly to the coffee table nearby, displaying his service gun.

Nothing else was there. No phone, wallet, badge, communication device-- or _ anything  _ of actual use.

_ ...Was that it? _

Having a gun was good,  _ sure _ \-- but still completely useless in his situation, against the man he needed to track down--

That son of a bitch must have planned this when he left him in that alleyway.

He noted that his host appeared visibly uncomfortable as he inspected his gun in the living room, opting to put it down with a thud.

“It’s okay-- I’m--” What exactly should he say here? He’s a stranger, in someone’s home, with a loaded gun. “--I’m a cop.”

Emmet appeared to relax slightly at that, but did not seem to fully believe what he was hearing. Rex couldn’t blame him, they’d barely had a conversation. At least, a sober conversation. 

He had noticed that the terrible feeling of dread that was often accompanied by Axel was no longer present. It might be safe to say that he had stuck by his word, and left this dimension in search of their remaining selves.

That thought didn’t bring any comfort to Rex, knowing it was his fault that more were dead now, that he couldn’t stop Axel when he had the chance-- being reduced to the weak mess he found himself in.

He couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

That strange feeling had been replaced by something else-- of what he wasn’t sure. It was almost warm, and comforting. A nice feeling, like the one that he might get on a cold night sitting in front of a fireplace. It was hard to explain.

Maybe it was the pain. Or the drugs that he was sure were in his system. That would make more sense.

“I, uh-- had to… throw out your clothes,” Emmet mumbled. “I sort of... cut them off you, so, there really wasn’t much I could do to salvage them.”

Rex shrugged, not bothered in the slightest. He was used to lounging in his underwear.

“I’d rather no clothes than being dead.” He chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. This kid sure was jumpy still.

Although, he did still need to do something about the whole _ no clothes  _ situation, especially if he’d need to leave in a hurry.

“Ah! I just remembered,” the younger man startled him with a click of his fingers. “I think I’ve got some clothes that’ll fit you.”

Emmet quickly brushed past him, moving into the bedroom and looking around as if he was interrogating his surroundings. He opened the closest in the corner of the room, digging in the back corner and pulling out a pile of clothes. Rex followed along, curiosity getting the better of him.

As he picked up the first item, he held it out in front of Rex, as if eyeing to see if he was correct. It looked close enough. Better than nothing at this point.

“Here, try these on,” Emmet offered, placing the pile on the bed. “We can go out at some point and get you more.”

Rex stood there, dumbfounded, as the younger man smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him. He still couldn’t quite comprehend this entire situation. This kid was acting like they’d known each other for years. He’d just gone along with it as if it was something he did every day.

He sure was an interesting guy.

It wasn’t the time to be worrying about such trivial things, he thought to himself, as he got dressed. Much to his surprise, they were a fairly good fit. Definitely not his type of style, that has to go said. He was more of a dark jeans and tank top kind of guy. But considering where he is right now, he’ll have to make do with what he can get.

Rex allowed himself a few more moments to get his head straight. He needed to come up with answers to questions that he was sure he’d be asked. He couldn’t be  _ entirely _ honest, but he didn’t want to lie, if he could avoid it. 

This kid--  _ Emmet _ \-- saved his life. He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. So he owed him  _ some _ answers, at least.

But this was a different universe. One that he was certainly _ not _ accustomed with. He had no way now of looking up the details, rules, and other aspects that are to be expected of people living here. He’d need to use this time with Emmet to figure out what he’s in for.

_ Then _ he can worry about how he’s going to get home.

* * *

As Rex exited the bedroom once more, the scent of freshly brewed coffee made his mouth water. A warm pot of brew sat on the table, next to milk, cream and sugar, and an extra empty mug.

“Sorry, I wasn’t sure how you liked your coffee. Or if you even  _ like _ coffee,” Emmet averted his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

He looked flustered again, as if he needed to do a hundred different things and wasn’t sure where to start. Rex could guess he wasn’t the kind of guy that had company over often.

“It’s perfect,” he replied, taking a seat at the table and eyeing the giant stack of pancakes accompanying his drink.

“Here-- you really need to eat, now that you’re up,” Emmet pushed the plate of food towards him. “I’m sure you’ll probably begin to doze off again soon. You’re still a long way from recovery.”

As he dug in, like a starving man, he couldn’t help but watch the other in both amazement and disgust as he placed a good twenty or so sugar cubes in his mug, swirling it around with a spoon.

He must _ really _ be a sweet-tooth.

“So, now that I finally get a moment to chat, is there--” Emmet paused. He appeared unsure of himself, which didn’t surprise Rex. He knew he could be a rather intimidating guy to be around. “Do you live around here?”

Rex was quiet for a moment-- the kid raised a good question. He was, without a doubt,  _ not from around here _ . But that wasn’t something he could easily explain. He needed to think about this carefully.

The mission came first.

“I--” Rex started, shifting in his chair. “I don’t really have anywhere I can go at the moment.”

He didn’t like dodging questions. He was used to following the law, and the orders of his superiors. He didn’t have the slightest idea how he was going to get out of this situation. Not just here, with the man who saved his life-- but getting back out there, and tracking down Axel.

_ Before that madman came back here and finished the job he started. _

A beat or two that passed between them. 

Emmet’s eyes narrowed. “You’re undercover, right?” he whispered.

Rex furrowed his brow, mind coming to a halt. That… that could work. He was _ technically  _ a cop, by most universe’s standards. He couldn’t go back to his ‘precinct’ either, so--

_ Undercover it is. _

“Yeah,” he nodded, taking a sip of the warm brew between his hands. “That’s the reason why I can’t say much.”

Emmet appeared to relax at his answer. “Understandable,” he smiled. “So you were attacked, and that’s why you couldn’t go to the hospital. Because it would blow your cover, right?”

After all the stress Rex had of coming up with a good enough backstory, Emmet was doing all the hard work for him. This was going better than he expected.

“That about sums it up.”

Rex felt overwhelmed, in a way, but this entire predicament. 

He’d never been used to being on the receiving end of such selflessness and kindness.  _ Especially _ from a stranger. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was normal for this universe, or if he’d just lucked-out and found the nicest person here.

He needed to say something. There wasn’t much else he could offer.

“Thanks. For doing this for me,” he sat back a moment, catching the other’s gaze. “Even though you don’t know me. I can’t repay you.”

Emmet chuckled, brushing a few strands of hair from his eyes. 

“It’s what I do.”

* * *

Rex was most  _ definitely _ not used to being manhandled. He’d barely finished eating before Emmet had pulled him up and helped him to the couch. 

“Here-- I need to check your wounds. You need to stop moving around so much,” Emmet spoke sternly, inspecting each cut and bruise with care, before moving to the next. “It’ll take well over a week for these to heal up, unless you keep aggravating them.”

He moved his hand down to the worst of the wounds, covered by a thick bandage, hiding the stitches beneath. It caused Rex to shiver unintentionally, not used to someone being so forward and…  _ handsy _ .

“This one’s worse, though. Will take much longer to heal, taking into account the severity. Here’s hoping you don’t get an infection.”

With that, Emmet retreated to the bathroom, washing himself off thoroughly. Rex continued to sit there awkwardly, wondering what he should be doing. Was he going to just… stay here, and rest?

Sounded rather boring. Maybe sleep would be better, at least then time  _ and  _ healing will pass by quicker.

Emmet returned to the room, picking up a bag and coat from the kitchen table. He was just going to treat him like a medical patient and immediately run off? 

How peculiar.

“Going out?” Rex asked, perplexed.

Emmet nodded. “I need to pick up a few medical supplies, but I won’t be long. Please stay here.”

He leaned back into the couch, holding on to his tender side as he got comfortable. 

“Not like I’ve got anywhere else to go.”

Rex couldn’t help but smile at the weirdness of their interaction. It’s as if he’s being treated like a patient one minute, and a child the next.

“I, uh-- there’s some food in the fridge and pantry,” Emmet turned from him, collecting his things, but he could see how stiff his movements were. He probably didn’t feel safe around him still. “Please help yourself if you’re still hungry.”

As the door shut closed with a thud, Rex found himself left to his own devices. 

He wasn’t hungry anymore, thankfully. He was so full it was beginning to make himself uncomfortable, but he needed to make sure to eat when he could, to keep his strength up.

He decided to take this rare opportunity to get a better look around the house he now found himself sharing with its owner. It was only small, perhaps an apartment, as opposed to a free-standing house.

The front door led down a hallway to the kitchen and dining room, which was connected to the living room. The couch was comfortable enough, although Rex couldn’t help but find it strange that there was no television or touch screens on the walls. 

They… had televisions here, right? He hoped so, for his own sanity. 

The room he was currently in connected the bedroom and bathroom that he was already well-accustomed with now. But, by the looks of it…

Wait, where was the rest?

He continued to search and open every door he could find. There was, for certain, only one bedroom. Only one bed.

Did this kid-- after dragging Rex’s half-dead body home, and taking care of him-- seriously leave him in the  _ only  _ bedroom in the house?

Where the hell had  _ he _ been sleeping?

Rex felt even worse about the extreme lengths that Emmet had gone to for his sake. It was strange, but he couldn’t help but feel an odd connection to the other. He wanted to tell himself it was just from being in a life debt to them, but it felt  _ different  _ than that.

In fact, he felt almost  _ depressed _ now that he was here alone.

This was getting too strange for his liking.

He continued his search, noting very few photographs on display. There was only one, of Emmet by himself, in what looked like a graduation outfit. But that was it. No evidence of friends, family, or even a significant other. Not even a pet.

Well, each to their own. It wasn’t his house. He couldn’t judge.

Emmet was probably just a bit of an introvert. Or maybe just a quiet guy.

Lonely, perhaps.

It reminded Rex far too much of himself for his own liking.

* * *

What in the hell was he  _ actually _ doing right now?

Emmet wasn’t sure himself. All he knew was that a mysterious, possibly dangerous, and  _ ridiculously _ handsome man was stuck living with him at his house. It’s as if his life had somehow become one of those corny romance novels that women enjoy reading. He couldn’t quite believe it himself.

Yet it was happening. This was reality, apparently. And here he was, at the local pharmacy, trying his best to remember what medical supplies he needed, now that he was here.

On one hand, he could easily get what he needed from work. But most of those types of drugs were prescription only, and the last thing he wanted to do was steal from a hospital, of all places. He felt as if he was in enough hot water already with the situation at home. Whatever he could get here would have to do in the short term.

The weirdest part of this entire situation, was that now that he was out of the house, he found that strange feeling in his chest had dissipated. It was weird, in a way he couldn’t very well describe. Most people would be glad-- but if felt as if something was missing from him.

He shook his head, pushing his focus back to the task at hand. 

First, unwanted superpowers. Second, a strange man in his house. Now third, a weird ‘feeling’ that he is spending too much time thinking about.

He really hoped that all of this was some kind of bizarre coincidence, and that he wasn’t going insane.

Maybe he should call Lucy, and catch up with her soon. She had always been good at talking things out with him and slapping some sense into him-- metaphorically, of course.

Emmet hummed, continuing to the next aisle as his mind wandered. The more he thought about Lucy, the more he felt as if he was forgetting something.

Something  _ important _ .

As the penny dropped, so does the contents of his hands, before he dashed out the door.

* * *

As much as Benny loved his son, he still needed his beauty sleep. Especially considering his current state, as he ran a hand across his stomach, feeling the tiny life growing inside of him.

It took him a while to wake up enough to realise he was alone. At this point in the night he’d simply nudge his husband until he woke, to go and deal with the noise. They’d usually take turns, but Daniel was kind enough to give him extra sleeping time, considering the circumstances.

But this was different. He was alone in bed. His husband was still away, leaving him here to look after their children.

He finally managed to get to his feet, shuffling to the other side of the room to find his young and very upset son. He had only turned one year old in the past month, but was still a big handful as usual.

Benny pulled his son into his arms, cooing gently to him and rocking his back and forth.

“It’s okay Eli,” he whispered softly. “Papa will be back soon.”

As his son finally fell back into a quiet sleep, Benny placed him gently back into his cradle, taking a moment to look at him. He’d grown so quickly, and even at such a young age, was already taking after his father-- his hair was a dark brown, accompanied by brilliant blue eyes. It was cute, thinking of how he’d grow up to look like his father. But in a way, Benny secretly hoped that their next child would take more after himself instead.

Anxiety was nothing new to him, but having his husband away for so long was beginning to take its toll on him. It had been four days now since he had left, with no communications or signs that he would be returning anytime soon. He’d even called his work place to check in, not that they would be able to tell him much.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep like this.

Benny looked down at his phone, flipping through some of the contacts. He knew Daniel wouldn’t be able to call him from another dimension, but at least he’d have someone here to call.

Liam. His husband’s identical twin.

Well, identical in  _ appearance _ , sure-- their personalities were complete polar opposites. 

He could hear his heartbeat echo in his ears as he waited for the dial tone to end. There was a click, followed by a yawn, and a raspy voice on the other end.

“...Benjamin? Is everything okay?”

Oh, thank goodness. He was so glad he picked up. He couldn’t be alone with his thoughts right now.

“I’m just worried about him,” Benny whispered, trying his best to keep himself together. He was not going to cry. He was going to be strong.

“I know it’s hard without my brother right now. But I know him best, and I know he’ll fight heaven and hell to come home to you.”

His brother in law was ridiculously sweet. Sometimes Benny couldn’t quite comprehend how he was still single. Maybe he could help set him up with someone, to repay him.

“What would I do without you?” he asked, not really expecting an answer.

“We’re family. It’s what I do.” Liam chuckled. “Plus, I can’t wait to meet my new nephew in a few month’s time.”

Benny raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that his expression was not transferred through their phone conversation. He already had a son, was Liam  _ really _ expecting him to have another?

“Niece, you mean.”

He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

“Wait-- really?” Liam replied hastily, sounding rather amazed at this revelation. “Are you sure?”

“Oh, I’m sure. Call it  _ a father’s intuition _ ,” Benny laughed, feeling his nerves begin to relax. “I can’t wait to tell Danny when he comes home to me.”

* * *

Rex was deep in thought, considering his available options. 

It had been three days since his last run-in with Axel. Even after sleeping this long, he was still in no shape to be getting into an altercation like that anytime soon. But he couldn’t sit around on his ass doing nothing, knowing that that psychopath was still out there, continuing his murder spree.

But then there was his partner. Rex hoped that he hadn’t been caught in the crossfire. He knew Daniel was a dertimed guy, and he was sure he wouldn’t give up on the chase for a criminal like that just because Rex was out of the picture. But he didn’t stand anywhere  _ near  _ a chance against that guy by himself, especially considering how powerful he had become.

Rex just hoped he’d gone back to the safety of Ares, and reported to headquarters for the both of them.

As his thoughts continued, and his painkillers began to kick in again, he couldn’t help but doze off as the tempting feeling of rest beckoned him. He knew he still needed sleep, and hopefully the more of it he got, the quicker he would be back on his feet.

A sudden loud knock on the front door started him wide awake, causing him to wince in pain at the same time.  _ Damn his reflexes and useless injuries _ \-- who the hell could that be?

There was another knock, more impatient this time. Rex began to feel dread. He knew it couldn’t be Axel, as there’s  _ no way _ that guy would knock, rather than blowing down the door instead. 

But it wasn’t Emmet either. Perhaps... someone he knew?

It didn’t matter. Emmet wasn’t here, so he was sure this person, whoever it was, would simply give up after the lack of response. That particular thought helped calm him a bit, as he settled back into the comfort of the couch.

It wasn’t until he heard the familiar jingle of keys, and the turn of the keyhole, that he was up and out of the room, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Rex peered around the corner, taking in the appearance of the intruder in question. They appeared to be… female. With bright pink and blue hair. He grimaced at the sight. He wondered if that was the normal fashion around here. At least she didn’t look  _ too  _ threatening, but she was helping herself to the fridge by the sound of it.

Then it hit him. 

It had never crossed his mind that Emmet might have a girlfriend. Or a roommate. That’s probably why she had a key to the place. 

Rex sighed. Emmet could have at least  _ warned _ him before he left.

He could continue to hide, stay unseen and hope she left soon. But he couldn’t be sure. Last thing he wanted to do was scare her, or get the cops of this universe called on him. 

It’s a chance he’d need to take.

“Do you usually just let yourself into other people’s houses?” Rex asked casually, leaning up against the bedroom door frame.

The woman before him startled harder than he intended at the sound of his question, hitting her head on the fridge in the process.

“Oh, shit,” she said, backing up against the countertop, beer in one hand. “I didn’t know to expect company.”

Rex stared at her incredulously. 

She was strikingly familiar, yet he couldn’t place where he knew her from. Even though this was their first meeting, he was _ sure _ he was acquainted with her counterpart in his own universe. 

That could be the only explanation. 

But… where? Or _ when _ , might be the more appropriate question.

Rex was probably going to freak her out if he kept staring like that.

Before he could say anything in response, and further their insightful lack of conversation-- loud clumsy footsteps came lumbering through the front door, belonging to a very distraught looking Emmet.

He looked like he was on the verge of freaking out, but unable to form words, staring between the two of them.

* * *

It took Emmet a few moments to catch his breath, having run longer than he ever had in his life.

“I can explain!” He yelled, louder than intended, pulling Lucy into the bedroom in hopes of a private conversation.

Lucy said nothing, a wicked grin spreading across her face, replacing her initial shock.

“Damn,” she said in surprise. “How’d you score  _ that _ ?”

He furrowed his eyebrows, confused by her demeanor. Then he understood what she was implying. There was no doubt that Rex was an attractive guy, but now was  _ not  _ the time for such jokes.

“I-it’s not like that!” As hard as Emmet tried not to blush at that remark, he knew he was failing. “I found him injured and was just helping him out.”

“Ah,” she replied in acknowledgement. “So you’re bringing home  _ strays _ now.”

He ran a hand down his face, feeling overwhelmed by his  _ entire life  _ at this point. 

“Lucy--” he started, feeling exhausted. “I’m sorry-- I completely forgot you were coming over today.”

“Oh, cheer up!” she chuckled, slapping him on the back. “I’m just teasing you. It’s nice to see that you’re occupied.”

Emmet sighed, taking a seat on the bed. He hunched over, placing his head in his hands again.

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” he admitted, staring at his feet. “I don’t know how I got into this situation.

Lucy sat down beside him, rubbing a comforting hand up and down his back. “I’ve been worried about you lately, Em. With all the weird shit you’ve been saying to me, and now you have a stranger living with you? I'm worried about you.”

Emmet made a rather pathetic groan. She was right. He was totally out of control. But he couldn’t say that he regretted anything he’d done up until this point.

He helped people. It’s what he did. He couldn’t turn someone away. No matter what.

“Come on,” she rose to her feet, offering him a hand. “I’ll head out and let you deal with… whatever this situation is.”

Emmet quickly followed her out of the room, towards the front door. She gave a friendly smile to Rex on the way out, who was sitting on the couch as if he were a third wheel.

“You need to promise me that we’ll catch up soon, alright?” she whispered, holding his hands between her own.

He knew he couldn’t say no to that smile of hers, and brought her in for a brief hug before she left.

Emmet faltered by the door, holding on to his chest as he attempted to get his heart rate back under control. That had been close. He wasn’t sure how that was going to go if he hadn’t returned when he did. At least Rex didn’t try to hurt her, or consider her an intruder.

That would have been a difficult situation to get out of.

Maybe he didn’t have to leave the store in such a rush before. What a waste.

He returned to Rex, finding him exactly where he left him.

“I still need those supplies, so I’m going to quickly run back to the store,” he sighed, stretching out his back. “Then I’ll make us some dinner.”

Rex nodded, looking as if he wanted to say something, but probably didn’t have the energy in him. He wasn’t going to cause any trouble in that state-- so at least it would be safe to head out again.

Emmet still felt that weird sensation in his chest when they were around one other-- but he didn’t really know how to bring it up in conversation. Rex hasn’t said anything to him, so maybe he was just a  _ little  _ crazy. That would be just as absurd as him turning around and saying ‘oh yeah, I have some crazy superpowers by the way, just letting you know’.

At this point, he’d just need to deal with one problem at a time.

* * *

As soon as Daniel stepped foot through the doors of the precinct, all eyes were on him. He didn’t bother to acknowledge anyone. He knew the mission hadn’t gone to plan, and that he was returning empty handed. 

But he needed to regroup, to report what happened, and most of all--

Notify the captain that Rex was missing.

“I will find him, sir,” Daniel stated with confidence. Hope wasn’t lost yet. “There’s only a handful of locations that he’d be at now. In that regard, it won’t be long before this is over.”

He wasn’t entirely certain what he meant by that statement. Either he’d find Rex, capture the elusive Axel and bring him to justice, or--

No. He couldn’t think of any other way to bring this to a close.

Daniel rose from his seat, staring at his captain. It was disheartening to see him like this-- as if all hope was already lost. There wasn’t much more to say, or to plan. 

“There’s too much at stake. I won’t fail again.”

As he made his way outside, he devised a plan. He would head home, check up on his husband and son, and get ready to leave once more. He didn’t have time to waste, but his family was as important as his job.

If he gave up now, if he didn’t find Rex, then--

They’d all end up dead.

And that was not a future that he would allow to happen.

* * *

Benny couldn’t believe it was him, standing in his doorway in the middle of the night.

His husband. Finally returned to him. He didn’t think twice to pull him into a tight embrace, becoming overwhelmed with his influx of emotions.

“Thank the man upstairs,” he mumbled into his neck. “Thought you were never coming back.”

Daniel chuckled, pulling his husband closer. “You know I could never leave you like that.”

Benny couldn’t talk, feeling the lump in his throat, threatening to make the tears fall from his eyes. He’d never felt so relieved in his life.

“I won’t be here for long,” Daniel said with a disappointed tone. “I’ll need to head out again in the morning.”

Benny sighed into his neck. “I understand.”

They made their wait to their bedroom, taking a seat at the end of the bed, holding on to each other’s hands. 

He knew that something was wrong. Their mission must not have gone to plan, judging by the look in his husband’s eyes. He knew him better than anything. He was sure this had something to do with Rex.

It didn’t take long for Daniel to come clean, describing the disaster that was the last few days, and his complete failure to not only his partner, but the mission as well. He had no choice but to come back, at least until he could recover, and head straight back into the eye of the storm afterwards.

Benny was just relieved to see him return home alive.

“You’re his weak point,” he noted with a smirk.

Daniel blinked at his husband, furrowing his brow. “What do you mean?”

“Come on honey,” he rolled his eyes, in an over-the-top manner. “You  _ know  _ you’re his only friend.”

He sighed, nodding as he pulled the other close. “I just hope that wherever he is, he’s safe.”

They were interrupted by a soft cry coming from the other side of the room again. Daniel took a moment to walk to his son, watching his tiny, sleeping form. Benny joined him a few moments later, slipping a hand around his husband’s waist.

“Elijah is  _ fine _ . Just got him back to sleep an hour ago.”

Daniel smiled, turning to him as he placed a hand to Benny’s stomach.

“How’s my  _ other _ little man going?” He whispered.

Benny gave him a look, placing a hand over his, with a loving expression.

“Your  _ daughter _ is quite well.”

Daniel’s eyes lit up like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He looked speechless, hand going tense in place.

Benny took the opportunity to drop the news.

“Call her Harper.”

* * *

Rex had finally,  _ truly _ awoken from the terrible nightmare he had been stuck in.

Fighting criminals, travelling through dimensions-- he thought he’d never escape it. 

What did it all mean? He’d never imagined anything quite like it.

He looked out the window of his apartment with bleary eyes, noting the sun was high up in the sky. It surely was nearly midday by now. He must have had one hell of a pub crawl last night, judging by the awful pain in his head.

As he got up to get ready for the big day ahead of him, he paused by his bedside, noting his very important purchase sitting on top of it. Rex swiped the ring box of his table, opening it once more to stare at the shiny golden piece hidden within it. 

It was perfect.

Today was the day. The day he was going to propose.  _ Finally. _

Speaking of which-- he was running late!

The two of them were catching up, after the last week of being away from each other. Rex had had plenty of time to think about this day. He was sure it was right.

Now or never.

Elizabeth was, without a doubt, absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. She was a bit of a goth, generally opting for black clothing, and dying her hair the same, with a single foil of pink and blue at the front. He’d never met anyone quite like her. He wasn’t even sure what she saw in him, if he was entirely honest with himself.

But now was the time. 

He pulled the ring from his pocket, turning to her with a held breath.

Elizabeth placed her hand over his, closing the box, and holding onto him tightly. 

Something was off. Something was wrong. She didn’t look like herself.

This… wasn’t right.

“I wish you wouldn’t blame yourself,” she said softly, staring deeply into his eyes.

He furrowed his brow, completely lost by her words. “W-what do you mean--?”

“Rex,” she continued, sternly. “You need to let me go.”

Oh. That’s right. 

What was he thinking? He’d nearly forgotten. 

After all this time. 

How could he _ forget  _ about her?

“I…” He felt a tear fall down his cheek, before he realised he was crying. “I saw you _ die _ .”

She cupped his face with a loving smile.

“It’s okay Rex. It’s time to move on.”

* * *

Rex awoke abruptly in a cold sweat, sitting upright with far too much haste. It took him a moment to remember reality, feeling the sharp pain in his side cause him panic. 

Fuck, he’d nearly forgotten where he was, and the state he was in.

He reached up to his neck, feeling the ring still there, twirling it between his fingers for a moment. 

A constant reminder of his promise.

He hadn’t thought of Liz in years. Of their life together. Of their future that was cut short, all thanks to someone who didn’t believe her life was worth anything. He’d vowed to be a cop from that day forward. To prevent such travesties from happening again. To bring those to justice who committed such crimes.

It was too late for him. But perhaps he could stop others from losing their loved ones.

He held in a breath, as he saw her face flash before his eyes.

_ That’s it. _

That’s where he’d recognised Lucy from. Although she looked a bit older, and her hair was ridiculously colourful-- but no, he was sure-- she shared the same soul as Elizabeth.

What an... odd coincidence.

He was surprised it took him that long to remember. How could he forget her face?

He needed to get up. He was suffocating in his own thoughts.

Rex fumbled his way to the door, stopping briefly at the sight before him. It was still very dark outside-- the street lights near the window, the only source illuminating the room. 

He saw Emmet there, curled up on the couch, snoring softly. He looked so young, and fragile-- and probably feeling rather uncomfortable there, as his feet hung off the end.

Rex took a moment to pull up the blanket around the younger man’s shoulders, as it appeared to be moments away from falling off completely. He startled slightly at the soft hum he received in response, before Emmet curled in on himself and continued to sleep.

He looked rather cute like that.

Rex shook his head, bringing himself back to the present.

_ The hell is wrong with you right now, Dangervest? Get your shit together! _

He made his way to the bathroom, washing his face thoroughly. He needed a shower so badly right now, but it was still so dark, he could hardly see.

The smell of blood was present, prompting him to look down at himself. That one particularly bad stab wound was open again, the bandage turning a deep red colour. As much as it hurt, and as weak as he was in this state, he could still feel himself becoming stronger as time passed. 

Not in the way in which he was recovering, but no doubt with the killings that Axel was committing in his absence.

Shit. That was just what he needed right now.

“Rex?” Emmet had materialised by the door, eyes bleary from his constant yawning. He looked just as terrible as he did. “You okay?” he mumbled.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Rex tried to sound reassuring, but he needed to be by himself right now. “Go back to sleep.”

His young companion blinked a few more times, until he must have noticed Rex’s current, bleeding state.

“You’re hurt,” he reached out and touched the wound, causing Rex to startle. “I need to stitch you up again.”

He turned to Emmet, staring at him and feeling rather bewildered. He was far too kind for his own good, and appeared to be very good at ignoring Rex’s subtle hints to leave him alone. But no matter how hard Rex would try, he couldn’t say no to that face. 

Why was he doing so much for him-- a stranger? In the middle of the night? It made his head hurt.

“Sorry, didn’t sleep well. Mind if I shower first?”

Emmet pulled back with a nod. “Yeah, sure,” he walked over to the laundry cupboard, digging out a spare towel and offering it to him. “But I’ll fix you up as soon as you’re done.”

“Thanks, I won’t be long.”

“Let me know if you need anything else,” Emmet paused at the door. “And please be careful.”

Rex was still feeling out of it, but he was sure it was just the pain. Or perhaps the weird dream still taking its toll on him. He just couldn’t understand how it could be so hot in this apartment right now, considering the freezing weather.

Something wasn’t adding up.

He held on to the wall beside him, suddenly finding it very hard to focus. He was sweating so much, feeling the dampness sticking his hair to his forehead. His eyes kept wandering, never focusing on one spot, and it only got worse when he tried to step into the shower.

Rex found himself on the floor before he knew it, struggling to breath. He looked up to see the door open swiftly, and a very concerned Emmet staring down at him. 

A soft hand was resting on his forehead now, with another by his worst injury.

“You have a fever,  _ shit _ \--” Emmet said softly, voice wavering. He sounded concerned, which must mean this wasn’t a good situation to be in. “I think your wound has become infected. Come on-- we need to get you treated.”

Rex just nodded along, letting himself get pulled to his feet. He hated being this vulnerable. He needed to get better quickly, and this was the last thing he needed right now.

It was only going to slow him down.

Emmet returned beside him on the couch, with a glass of water, having found some antibiotics and painkillers.

“You’re lucky that I’m so well prepared,” he commented, getting up again to collect his med kit. “I’ll need to patch up, too. But I warn you, it’s going to hurt.”

Rex chuckled, feeling delirious. Pain was not something new to him. But this kind of gentle care that he was receiving was completely alien to him, and could make up for it.

“What would I do without you.” 

* * *

The following morning, Rex found himself bundled on the couch once more. It was beginning to feel like his new home with how much time he spent there.

“How long am I going to be this unwell?” He asked, sounding rather pathetic. His voice was raspy, head constantly sweating, sipping on water in an attempt to get himself hydrated and healed up quicker.

“Depends,” Emmet replied from the kitchen. “Could be up to four weeks, depending on the severity of the infection.”

Rex nearly choked at his words, finding himself mid-drink at the worst of times.

“Four weeks!? I don’t have that kind of time.”

“Sorry, I don’t make the rules.” Emmet rolled his eyes. “You’re more than welcome to stay here until you’re better. But I think I've made that clear already.

Rex grimaced. It was probably his only option at this point. Might as well be appreciative.

“Thanks, kiddo,” he replied absent-mindedly. 

The younger man paused, turning to face him. He leant back on the bench, staring at Rex with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not a kid. I’m twenty-seven,” Emmet deadpanned.

Rex blinked, giving him another once over. “Wait.  _ Really? _ ”

“Yes!” He squished his cheeks together in an over-exaggerated manner. “I have a round face, so it makes me look younger. I can’t stand it. I’ve been accused of having a fake ID at bars before.”

Rex failed to stifle his laughter. “Never thought I’d hear someone complain about looking younger than what they are. Older, on the other hand…”

Emmet hummed. “And what about you, then?”

Rex paused, looking down at his fingers as he silently counted.

“Thirty-five,” he replied slowly, mentally checking his calculations. “Surprised?”

“Not at all.” Emmet raised an eyebrow. “You really needed to think that hard to figure out your own age?”

The two of them chuckled in unison. He wasn’t wrong. Rex tended to only remember important things. His age-- or birthday, for that matter-- were far less important. When you were jumping dimensions for days or weeks, it made it hard to keep track of time

He didn’t mind just sitting and talking like this. It was a nice change of pace.

Emmet had such a cute smile.

Rex nearly choked as that thought crossed his mind. He needed to keep talking and stop staring.

“You stop counting after a while,” he replied, trying to get his mind back under control. He was becoming peculiar the longer he stayed here.

Emmet grinned and moved to the kitchen, proceeding to make some noise as he searched for something. Rex took a moment to lean back, and get himself comfortable. 

His head was still burning, fever getting the best of him. He used an arm to prop himself up, keeping his head straight.

Emmet joined him moments later, providing more water and painkillers, right on time. He was in dire need of relief from the torment of his own body.

The television-- which he’d previously not even noticed, due to it being so small and old fashioned-- sprung to life in a fog of static before them. Rex watched with heavy eyes as some type of action movie played, trying his best to stay awake for at least a little while longer.

As he cast his gaze to the man beside him, Emmet turned to him with a curious look. “Are you married?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Rex was dumbfounded, completely caught off guard. “...No? Why do you ask?” 

That was a rather  _ forward _ question, wasn’t it?

“Oh. I mean, your ring--” he pointed towards his neck.

He startled, looking down at it, not noticing that he’d been fiddling with it absent-mindedly. 

Ah, so that’s what he meant.

“It’s sentimental more than anything. Was going to, but... never got the chance.”

The conversation had his mind drifting back to the rather nostalgic dream he had. Times were so much simpler when he was younger. Sometimes, he’d wished that he hadn’t had to grow up.

Emmet looked rather mournful after his response, and it wouldn’t surprise Rex in the slightest if he’d experienced a similar pain.

He didn’t want to make him sad, or make their further discussions awkward from his past-- which reminded him--

“I hope I didn’t freak her out before,” He looked away, thinking back to his abrupt confrontation in the kitchen with Lucy. “Was just surprised at the unexpected company, is all.”

Emmet laughed. “Nah, she’s tough. My fault for forgetting she has a key.”

_ Of course _ she has a key-- who doesn’t give a spare key to their girlfriend.  _ That’s normal, right? _

Rex turned back to the television, attention on the news, keeping an eye out for any suspicious people or activity, or  _ anything _ that could possibly identify Axel. As far as he could tell, he’d left this dimension long ago. 

The only question was when he’d return. 

Was it possible for Daniel to find Rex-- or Axel-- in time? Or would that madman simply come back here to finish the job, once all the other iterations of themselves were gone?

That begged the question… had Axel killed the version of themselves in  _ this _ particular dimension? Or were they also here, alive, and blissfully unaware of what was to come? Was he going to save him for last before he came to find Rex?

If that person were indeed still alive here, Rex needed a way to find them. He wasn’t much good to anyone cooped up in here. Maybe that was the one last good thing he could do, before he faced down against his doppleganger one last time.

Somehow, deep in his thoughts, several hours had passed by without him noticing. He turned to say something to Emmet, only to find the younger man asleep on his shoulder. 

He raised an eyebrow. 

_ How was that comfortable?  _

He was so close to him, and he couldn’t understand how Emmet could keep his guard down to such a level around him. 

This needed to stop before he found himself becoming too attached. He didn’t need such complications in his life right now.

Why couldn’t he have been rescued by someone  _ unlikeable _ ? That would have made this easier to deal with. Although, in that case, they probably would have just left him there to die. 

Rex slipped an arm around his sleeping companion, picking him up swiftly as he got to his feet. He tried his best to ignore the pain of his aggravated wounds. 

There were not many things Rex could give Emmet in return for his hospitality, but perhaps a good night’s sleep, in a comfortable bed, was a place to start.

Rex knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon, with so much on his mind.

He still had much to plan, if he wanted to get out of this dimension alive.

* * *

Emmet was dazed and confused when he roused from sleep, finding himself in his familiar bedroom. But that wasn’t what confused him most-- he couldn’t even remember going to bed in the first place.

Which also left the question of where he’d left Rex.

With a slight wave of anxiety in his chest, he made his way quickly to the lounge room, finding Rex exactly where he’d left him-- on the couch. 

“You didn’t have to stay out here…” Emmet yawned, feeling more rested than he had in the last few days.

“S’okay,” Rex hummed. “Couldn’t sleep.”

His mind had still been so preoccupied with looking after Rex, and keeping up with work, that he was becoming an emotional wreck.

In that moment, he remembered their conversation from the previous night. He remembered feeling rather tired and struggling to keep his eyes open. He--

Rex must have carried him to bed. Tucked him in. Somehow without waking him up or hurting himself.

Emmet blushed, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious.

How… was he really such a kind hearted person, under all that gruff demeanor?

“I’ll get us some breakfast,” he stated, feeling quite awkward at that revelation.

_ What was wrong with him, seriously? _

There was  _ no way _ he was falling for this stranger -- just because he’s handsome, and  _ kind _ \-- and just-- 

_ No _ . 

He wasn’t going to fuck this up and get his heart broken again. He had to keep it together. 

Plus, the guy was  _ obviously _ straight.

Emmet tried as best he could to keep himself occupied in the kitchen, at least until he could focus. He wasn’t sure what to say, about last night-- should he thank him? Would that be weird?

“I should go,” Rex started, as he got to his feet. “I’m nothing but a nuisance here.”

Emmet’s demeanor flipped, his expression becoming stern. He moved back over to him, placed a hand on his chest, slowly pushing Rex back onto the couch.

“No, you’re staying put,” he replied with his arms crossed. “Where else will you go in this state?”

Rex faltered, but was unable to respond.

“You can barely stay awake for more than an hour, let alone walk a fair distance, or pay for anything. There’s no way you can treat your injuries by yourself either.”

Emmet was becoming quite a mother hen with him around. What was happening to him?

He saw the other man stifle a snicker. He must think the same.

“I know it’s not fun, but you need to rest more, at least long enough to heal. Over doing it is just going to make the process longer.”

There could be no argument with that point. He needed Rex to rest up and heal in a comfortable environment, so finding himself without shelter would only make matters worse.

“ _ Then _ you can leave,” Emmet added, ending his sudden rant.

Rex looked as if he waited until he was done lecturing him to respond.

“You’re very difficult to argue with.”

Hm. That was the smartest thing he’d ever heard Rex say.

“I’m glad you’ve caught on,” Emmet smiled. “Considering you’re here, you might as well make yourself useful.”

“Name your price,” he replied with a devilish grin.

Emmet tried hard not to break eye contact at that.

“Well, I need to go back to work today. It’s only a short shift, but I could use a hand with some errands. If you’re up for it.”

* * *

Painkillers were a god-send. The only problem was the doziness that came with it.

Without realising, he’d fallen asleep again. It was becoming a constant battle to stay awake, to stay focused. He needed to keep an eye out, to keep their surroundings covered. But he still felt a slight anxiety that he couldn’t quite understand when he was left alone here.

Rex was sure that Emmet wasn’t in any danger. He was simply another inhabitant of this universe, much like any other-- making his way through his day-to-day life, and who just happened to have a dimensional traveller staying in his house.

He realised that it was the sound of a ringing phone that had awoken him from his groggy state. He blinked, clearing his vision, as he reached over and picked up the phone.

It was only in that moment, as he brought the device to his ear, that he realised what he was doing-- and that it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to answer it.

Thankfully, it was none-other than his recent acquaintance, Lucy.

Rex managed to stay cohesive enough to understand most of her message, trying his best to keep it fresh in his memory. Thankfully, the call didn’t last much longer, and he could finally get back to what he was doing.

Nothing. 

Which was the problem. He hadn’t even done anything today, and was already tired again. It was beginning to get on his nerves.

A far-off thunderclap brought his attention to the window, noting a dark, cloudy sky. It looked like it was going to rain soon. He could smell the petrichor. Good thing he was indoors.

The kitchen was his next focus. He didn’t care what there was to eat, so long as it was edible. His attention was drawn to the kitchen bench, finding a note from Emmet, along with a crudely drawn map, a set of keys, and what he could only assume was money.

What a weird form of currency. Did they really carry around individual notes and coins here? No digital scanning of cards, or ID codes? 

How barbaric.

Rex had nearly forgotten about his so-called ‘assignment’ for the day. Provisions. Which meant venturing outdoors. He was almost  _ excited _ by the idea of getting out for a bit, he just needed to make sure he could be as invisible as possible-- to assimilate with everyone else. He didn’t need any more eyes on him.

He’d best get it done now, while he could keep his eyes open. A walk, some fresh air, a change of scenery-- it’ll do him good. 

As he made his way to the front door, keys in hand, he saw something that caused him to do a double-take. On the hook by the front door, was a raincoat, accompanied by an umbrella. It was convenient for him, as it was exactly what he needed. But they looked like something of Emmet’s. 

So if these were here, then they weren’t with him.

Emmet would have to walk home, in the cold, freezing rain.

Rex rolled his eyes at the thought. Poor kid must have forgotten about it in his hurry to leave that morning. Technically, Rex needed to go out anyway, so... what was the harm of dropping by his place of work? He might as well pick him up. Then they could grab dinner on the way home.

He blinked, pausing at the thought. 

Why the hell was he thinking about them as if they were best mates? This situation was weird enough, he didn’t need to go and complicate it further.

At this point, he wouldn’t be able to trust his own feelings.

* * *

Emmet could not believe how out of sorts he’d been these past few days.

He knew it was winter, that it was the cold and rainy season. He could see the clouds above him as he headed to work that morning. How did he manage to get all the way here without even  _ thinking _ that the weather could turn like this?

Standing under cover, he held his hand out in front of him, feeling the cold rain drip onto his palm. It was a ridiculous storm. Even the wind and thunder was kicking up now. 

It would be best to stay here for a little longer, he thought. He wasn’t really in any particular rush to get home, although he felt uneasy knowing that Rex was alone. Which didn’t make much sense to him. They were both adults, and the strange older man had seemed capable enough by himself.

Yet the anxiety in his chest was peaking.

Maybe he could just run for it. Get home as fast as he could. Would that make him more or less wet from the rain? Is that how it worked?

Emmet sighed, his brain still working overtime and making him feel more sleepy than he was already. He just needed a break. And right now, in this weather, a nice hot meal, in a warm bed, with a--

He’d been staring at the ground, zoning out-- so he startled when he saw a figure standing in front of him, uncomfortably close. He quickly looked up, making eye contact, with--

“Rex!” Emmet exclaimed. “You nearly gave me a heart-attack! Wh-- what are you doing all the way out here? You have a fever, you need to be resting.”

The older man was smiling, offering something to him. It was a raincoat, which he stared at for a moment too long in disbelief.

“Thought you could use this,” Rex replied, holding the umbrella so that it was above both of them.

So that’s why he was standing so close. He... really came all this way, just to bring him  _ this _ ? 

It was so… thoughtful. Even in his current state-- he was hurt, badly, on top of the fever-- and going out into the rain and cold was the last thing he should be doing.

But he couldn’t help but think how sweet the gesture was.

“Thanks,” Emmet was finding himself at a loss for words. “But-- how’d you even know where I’d be?”

Rex shrugged. “Spoke to the locals. Knew you couldn’t be far. Not many hospitals around here.”

He couldn’t fault that logic. At least now he could get home in a less wet state. He was beginning to get hungry, and hadn’t even thought to bring lunch with him.

Emmet felt a sudden arm curl around his shoulders, bringing him in closely next to the other man. He tried his best to keep his composure, not being used to being in such close proximity to anyone lately.

He  _ really _ hoped he wasn’t blushing.

“C’mon, let’s grab some dinner,” Rex offered, looking pleased with himself. “I’m starving.”

* * *

Instead of opting for take-away, they’d decided to stock up on supplies and ingredients to cook something at home. 

Emmet had to admit that Rex didn’t seem like the home-cooking type. But he had insisted, and watching him cook in the kitchen was like nothing he’d ever seen before. Perhaps it was a secret hobby of his.

It was… kind of nice, having someone living with him--  _ cooking for him _ \-- after being by himself for so long.

Wait-- why was he so excited at the thought of someone else being at his place, making him dinner? Especially someone he still barely knew. He was sure that helping this guy was going to be a pain and throw his life out of whack, but-- it was still nice, having company. He’d never realised how much he’d enjoy living with someone else.

He shook his head, heat rising in his cheeks.  _ What was he thinking!? _ This guy would be gone within the next week or two, and they’d probably never see each other again. He was just helping out someone in need, and he doubted Rex would ever be interested in seeing him again

It was short-term.

_ Stop getting ideas! _

Just because it had been over a year since his last relationship, didn’t mean he needed to go attaching himself to  _ any other guy _ that showed him kindness. He was weak. A hopeless romantic, in a sense.

But there was still that tug in his chest. This strange feeling that was there whenever the two of them were in close proximity. Ever since he’d found him in that alleyway. 

All these days later, and he still couldn’t understand it.

“Here-- you got a call,” Rex handed him a crudely written note, that was barely readable, before returning to the kitchen.

Emmet gladly accepted, happy to get his mind focused on literally anything else right now. “You-- wait, from who? No one ever calls me.”

“Your girlfriend.”

He blinked, staring at Rex’s back as he continued to work over the stove. Did he... hear that right?

“ _ Girlfriend? _ ” He questioned, perplexed. But Rex didn’t reply.

What was he talking about?

Oh, wait.  _ Now _ he got it.

Girl friend, not  _ girlfriend _ .

“You mean Lucy--?” He continued to read. Looks like she wanted to do another lunchtime date. “Well, I did mess up our last catch up. So... ‘course I owe her one.”

The older man stepped back from the kitchen, brushing off his hands against the apron he wore. Not the most masculine look, but it made Emmet chuckle at the absurdity.

“I’m more concerned about how she kept insisting I come along too.” He didn’t look offended, but perhaps concerned. “Something about... making it an even number? I thought you could shed some light.”

Yup, that sounded like Lucy. 

At least, on this occasion, she wasn’t trying to hook him up with someone. Too many dinners have ended badly or awkwardly thanks to her handy-work. Rex, on the other hand...

“Ah, yeah-- she always invites me out when she’s on a date in public.” 

Rex gave him a puzzled look. “Date?” His head tilted to the side, like a confused puppy.

This guy… seriously, what was he going to do with him?

“Yeah, she, uh--” He wandered to the kitchen, eager to see what was cooking. The scent was making him more hungry by the minute. “She met someone recently but is still a little nervous to be out by herself. So I’m there for ‘emotional support’, as she puts it.”

He paused. 

Wait. Did Rex-- did he think he and Lucy were--

“Look-- I’m more than happy to come along, but--” Rex fidgeted with slight awkwardness. “I don’t have any money. I already owe you enough, for everything else--”

Ah, money. Of course. Emmet wasn’t going to let him finish. For a tough looking guy, he sure was thick-headed sometimes.

“ _ Pff _ . Money’s no problem for me. Let’s have some fun!” He slapped him on the shoulder in a friendly manner. “Plus, you look like someone who needs to take his mind off things.”

Rex grinned, and Emmet tried his best not to think about how handsome he looked.

Maybe the two of them could actually relax for once. For one evening, at least.

Emmet just needed to make sure he didn’t fall too deep into whatever this relationship was.

* * *

The leftover clothes Emmet had given him weren’t  _ too  _ bad. In fact, he looked good enough to wear them out to the lunch date that they had just agreed to. It was a local place, only being a short walk from Emmet’s apartment, so they didn’t need to spend too much time in the freezing cold weather, thankfully.

The two of them arrived first, finding their table at the back of the restaurant, and getting comfortable as they waited for Lucy and her plus-one. It was a quaint little place, surprisingly busy for that time of day, and offering a wide variety of different foods.

_ And  _ drinks.

Rex thought of how good a nice cold beer would be right now. Take away the stress, the anxiety, the  _ pain _ \-- and just let himself relax for once.

He looked up just as Lucy walked through the door, with someone else behind her. That was quick. Since his recent revelation, and nostalgic dream about Liz-- he could now see just how uncanny the resemblance was between the two of them.

Strangely enough, though-- it made him realise, for the first time in his life-- that he  _ might  _ just be able to let go of her now.

He still hadn’t decided if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

Lucy cleared her throat as she reached their table, then turned-- rather proudly-- to the woman she brought along with her.

“This is Stephanie.”

Rex couldn’t stop himself from staring. The woman in front of him was gorgeous-- she had a slim figure with a long flowing pink dress, and curly silver-blue hair running past her shoulders.

Suddenly a hand was in his face, clicking insistently.

“Eyes over here,” Lucy said quietly and sterly in his direction, pointing at herself. Her companion laughed as they took a seat next to each other.

Great, he had been staring again. At least he could blame it on the drugs for now. 

Still, this date was rather… strange. Was it supposed to be a double date, or just some friends catching up over food? Either way, Rex felt like an uncomfortable fourth wheel, if that were possible.

Rex scanned the menu, keeping his mind off his thoughts. There was plenty to choose from, but from what he could tell, nothing was cheap. He passed over to the other side of the menu, aiming to find something more reasonably priced to eat.

Apparently, he’s an easy guy to read.

Emmet nudged him in the arm, gesturing to the menu in his hands with a disapproving expression.

“What have I done  _ now _ ?” Rex asked innocently.

“Come on, you need a proper meal,” he grinned. “I hear the steak’s pretty good.”

Rex’s mouth watered at the thought of eating a steak. 

How long had it been since he’d had something that nice? His work usually kept him so busy, doing insanely long and random hours-- he’d gotten used to just eating pre-made frozen meals and packet noodles.

Emmet must have followed his eyes.

“Alright, one steak it is,” he giggled. “And the spaghetti for me.”

He closed the menu with a rather triumphant smile. But he’d forgotten the drinks. He  _ really _ needed a drink to get through this.

Social situations were not his forte. 

But on the other hand, he didn’t want to fuck up by drinking if it’s going to mess up with the drug he’s taking-- and, in turn-- elongate his recovery time even more.

“Hey--” Rex whispered, poking Emmet in the side. “Can I have a beer?”

He was confidently expecting a solid  _ no _ , considering how overly strict Emmet usually was, due to his ‘current medical condition’ as he called it-- but he was surprised by the answer he received.

“Sure. One can’t hurt I suppose.”

Today was going better than expected.

After they ordered, they settled into a routine chat, enjoying their beverages as they waited for their food.

Rex’s gaze kept drifting back to the bustling street outside. He was looking for anything out of the ordinary-- people stopping, staring-- strange sounds, or in this case-- signs of advanced technology would also be an indicator that something wasn’t right. 

The lack of electronics was one thing about this dimension he was  _ not _ going to miss. 

Emmet, on the other hand…

Shit.  _ No _ . That’s not right.

Rex pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to clear his head. This was getting out of hand. He just needed to keep blaming his weird thoughts and desires on the drugs. He needed to focus back on the present, at the conversation at hand.

He was listening to a story that Stephanie was telling Emmet, about the time she’d first met Lucy, apparently. Her voice was soft and caring. So much so, that he found it hard to believe she was a military general.

“Here you are.”

A waiter appeared at their table, handing out each meal as he circled them, giving a curt nod and smile as he did so.

Rex couldn’t believe his eyes. He recognised that face. That  _ smile _ .

But the words died on his lips.

_ Benny!? _

He got a hold of himself, coming back to reality. No-- no, that wasn’t the Benjamin he knew. Not the man his partner had married.

The resemblance was uncanny, but he was certainly different. His eyes were a deep blue, hair a wild bright blonde, and a face that was easily ten years younger.

“Are you okay?” Emmet asked, sounding almost panicked. “Are you in pain?”

Rex shook his head, brushing it off. He probably made a right fool of himself for a minute there.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just-- he looks so much like someone I know,” his eyes followed the doppelganger as he walked away. “That was weird.”

After that strange turn of events, their conversations continued for the next hour. Rex enjoyed hearing more of Emmet’s past, as well as some horror stories from his workplace, but they mostly wound up laughing at each other’s jokes.

Rex couldn’t remember the last time he did something like this. He felt relaxed. For the moment, he’d continue to enjoy himself-- he knew it wouldn’t last forever.

“Where are you going?” Emmet asked with suspicion, watching Lucy trying to sneak away from the table.

She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes. “You _ know _ it’s my turn to pay. Don’t you try to stop me.”

“No, it’s  _ my _ turn--”

The two of them continued their argument as they scuffled all the way to the pay counter, as if they were two siblings fighting over something.

What a strange duo they made. 

This date still made no sense at all in Rex’s mind. He couldn’t help but feel he was missing something.

Something  _ important. _

“So,” Stephanie started. “How do you know Emmet?” 

Rex’s mind came to a complete halt, as he turned to face her, nearly forgetting she was there.

He wasn’t sure what Emmet had told them,  _ if anything _ . He could lie. Make up some bullshit. But then again, it’s not like he’s going to be stuck here forever. Hopefully not. It didn’t matter in the end.

Fuck it.

He leant back in his chair, taking the last swig of his beer. 

“He picked me up in a dark alleyway as I was bleeding to death,” he deadpanned. “Nice guy.”

She stared at him for a moment, and he hoped that his dry sense of humour wasn’t overlooked.

“I see why he likes you.”

Wait.

_ What? _

“Time to go, hun!” Lucy exclaimed, materialising out of nowhere and causing Rex to jump. “It’s getting late.”

They smiled at each other, the taller of the two taking the other’s arm, holding each other close, waving off Emmet and Rex as they headed out the door first.

They were awfully friendly with each other.

Oh. 

_ Oh. _

No wonder Lucy didn’t like him staring at her.

Emmet was giving him a cheeky grin. “Did you only just realise  _ now _ ?” 

Well, he did say it was a ‘date’ earlier. For some reason, it just hadn’t clicked in his head. Considering how close Emmet and Lucy were, he’d just  _ assumed _ , like an idiot.

“Guess I really  _ have _ been out of it lately.”

* * *

It had been well over a week now, since Rex had first woken in this dimension. He’d honestly been losing track of time, with his sleeping pattern becoming a complete mess.

He still felt guilty, taking over Emmet’s house like he had, and even his bedroom.

Rex had never met anyone quite like him. He was surprised people like him could even  _ exist _ .

He had to stop himself right there, cursing silently. He was nice, _ yes _ \-- he could admit that. But he couldn’t linger on it. As soon as he was well enough, he needed to leave. He needed to get up in the middle of the night, or when Emmet was out-- and just _ leave _ .

Rex didn’t do goodbyes. Even trying his best to not get attached, he knew he’d still miss him. That’s what pissed him off the most.

He ran a hand down his face as he moved to the kitchen, in that moment needing a coffee more than anything else. 

“Here, sit down for a moment--” Emmet started, materialising beside him. He reached for Rex’s arm, guiding him to sit on the couch. 

Guess coffee would have to wait, then.

Rex didn’t say anything, opting to watch the younger man as he sorted out his various medical supplies nearby.

He placed a hand over Rex’s forehead, with a look of concentration, taking him by surprise. 

He was so close. He was so young. What was he--

“Your fever’s nearly completely gone, which is good news. I’ve never seen antibiotics work this fast.” Emmet commented, sounding relieved. “But you’re still not all healed up yet.”

Rex could only wonder if he was possibly recovering and healing at a faster rate thanks to the murderous spree his counterpart was still on.

No. There were absolutely  _ no _ benefits to  _ anything _ that madman was doing.

Emmet proceeded to inspect each cut and abrasion, cleaning some of the worst of his wounds, and re-dressing them. The worst of the bruising appeared to be gone now, lessening some of the pain he’d been experiencing.

But the worst one still made him flinch when Emmet went near it.

“Sorry,” Emmet mumbled apologetically. “Just need to be sure there’s no more infection.”

Rex found himself zoning out, enthralled by watching the younger man work. He really did love helping people. He was pretty good at it, too.

In that moment, he couldn’t help but wonder what he’d think of him if he knew how Rex ended up here in the first place.

The  _ real  _ reason.

The phone interrupted them both-- Emmet leaving Rex to his own devices once more as he answered it. The conversation between him and the person on the other end was hushed, and rather short-- but whatever it was about, it changed Emmet’s entire mood.

“What is it?” Rex asked, concern prevalent in his voice. It sounded like bad news.

“There’s an emergency-- looks like they need everyone as soon as possible.”

The younger man scuffled about the apartment quickly, picking up his jumper, keys, and a snack for the road. He had become completely flustered, and looked as if he needed to sleep more than anything.

Rex hoped he wouldn’t be out too long. Emmet needed rest as much as he did.

“I should only be a few hours. I’ll leave the number by the phone in case you need to call me.”

And with that, he was out the door.

It had been so abrupt, that Rex didn’t quite know what to do with himself. 

He went to the kitchen for a snack, rummaging through the cupboard, trying his best not to make a mess. He flicked the television set on as he returned to the couch, flipping to whatever channel was airing the news.

Rex knew it was only a matter of time now, before he’d see Axel again. There was a high chance it was going to be long before he was in good enough shape to stand a chance against him. 

But he’d have to risk it. His own fate was hanging in the balance just as much as Axel’s.

To no surprise, he found the news stations reporting on rather mundane and uninteresting stories, and he found his boredom returning swiftly. He continued to flick through the channels, eventually finding some old-looking comedy show.

At least something like this might keep him awake long enough to see Emmet return.

And just like that, he blinked, and it was midnight.

_ Shit.  _ Not again.

He couldn’t wait until he could stop relying on drugs, to be pain free-- and to be able to stay awake for at  _ least _ an entire day.

Rex flinched as he realised that someone else was in his presence, most likely the reason for him waking in the first place.

Emmet was there, in the kitchen, illuminated by the soft glow of the street lights outside the window. There were no lights on in the house-- the television being the only other source of light.

_ When did he get home?  _

He had his back to Rex, but even he could tell that he was up to no good.

Emmet was pouring himself a glass-- of what appeared to be straight whiskey. Rex knew that smell anywhere, having had far too much of it in his time.

But this was just...  _ strange _ . Emmet certainly didn’t appear to be the type to drink. Yet there he was, throwing back an entire straight short. 

He wondered if he even realised that Rex was in the room with him.

Then it happened again. Another drink. A slight step to the right, then the left-- he was wobbling now.

Then a third.

That was enough. He needed to intervene--  _ now _ .

Rex was next to him now, hand covering the glass.

Emmet didn’t acknowledge him. He didn’t flinch, or blink-- just continued to stand there, staring down at the drink he’d been denied. 

Even in the dim light, Rex could tell he was a mess. He was sniffling, tear stains prevalent on his cheeks.

Something was wrong.  _ Very _ wrong.

“What happened?” Rex whispered, keeping his hand firmly in place.

He wasn’t good at this kind of thing-- he was used to being by himself, hiding his emotions and dealing with his problems without anyone else around. He wasn’t sure what to say, what to do-- or what was normal, in a situation like this..

He heard the younger man’s breath hitch, but he remained quiet, his question unanswered.

Alright, no talking then. There’s always later.

“Hey...”

Rex remained where he was, moving his free hand to Emmet’s shoulder gently. The poor kid was in shambles, feeling tense, heart rate through the roof.

The art of comforting someone was still a foreign concept. He’d always been alone. But that didn’t matter right now. This wasn’t about him.

It was about  _ Emmet _ .

And judging by what he was seeing, some  _ serious shit _ must have gone down at his work.

If he’d have to guess, he was sure that someone had died.

He was a nurse, after all. Even if they tell you not to get attached to patients… it could still be easier said than done. He was only human, after all.

“’M  _ fine _ \--” Emmet insisted with a slur, as he snatched the last drink from underneath Rex’s, and-- before he could stop him-- he downed it whole. 

Rex was sure that the younger man would have fallen on his ass if he wasn’t there beside him. As he felt Emmet’s weight against him, he saw the tears begin to flow down his face, turning to curl into Rex’s arms, as his stifled sobs continued.

Fuck, he hated seeing him like this.

As he stared at the sorry mess of a man in his arms, he couldn’t help but feel for him.

“I think you’ve had enough,” Rex commented, keeping a firm hold on him, as he went limp in his grasp.

Just as he suspected, Emmet had managed to pass out. Nothing more he could do now until he sobered up.

“Yup, a light-weight. No surprise there,” Rex muttered to himself. “No way I’m letting you sleep on the couch.”

He utilised his ridiculous super strength to pick up the younger man with ease, again, thankful that he was out cold right at this moment. 

It would be hard to explain.

As he shuffled to the other room, he maneuvered around towards the bed, careful not to trip on anything in the dark.

He kicked the blankets back, struggling to do everything with the man in his arms, and the injuries on his own body.

Rex leant down as best he could, placing him gently on the soft bed beneath. He moved down to remove his shoes, as a courtesy-- he’d had enough of these types of binge-drinking nights to know how to make it a little less shitty in the morning.

As he pulled the blankets up, he startled as eyes were on him once more, sad and full of dread. A hand caught the front of his shirt before he could move away, gripping tightly, as if he was going to fall if he let go.

“Don’t leave,” Emmet slurred his words, his hold on the other weakening. “ _ Please. _ ”

Rex blinked. He wasn’t entirely sure if he meant for him to stay within the confines of the house, or to _ literally  _ stay by his side, here, where he lay on the brink of passing out again.

He decided to go with the latter, considering that he couldn’t move if he didn’t let go.

Not only that, but Rex  _ did  _ say he wanted to repay him for everything he’d done for him. So if he wanted him to stay with him, then he would.

How could he  _ possibly  _ say no to that face?

* * *

The thrill of the chase was a high that went unmatched.

Axel had stopped counting the death toll by now. He wasn’t even sure how long it had been since he’d first embarked on this journey.

All he knew was that his list of targets was ever dwindling.

It was an intense feeling, when he’d corner them-- the look in their eyes when they realise that escape from him was impossible. 

They’d beg and they’d plead, getting on their hands and knees, telling them they’ll offer  _ anything _ in return for their life.

Axel simply laughed at how pathetic it was, as he waved his knife through the air.

He could feel their last breath, the life leaving their bodies, and the stench of blood as it covered him.

Slow. Painful. Merciless.

It was what they deserved.

Yet as he found himself there, atop the death he had created-- all he could think about was his interaction with Rex.

Now  _ there _ was a guy with a backbone. Someone who _ dared  _ to stand against him.

Axel couldn’t wait to face off against him again. One final time. To decide both of their fates. 

Just a few more house calls to make.

Then he’d finish this once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally at the half-way point. After all this fluffyness, there's way more drama and action to come. Remember, this is only 5 chapters long, with 6 being a bonus smutty epilogue (naturally).
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to know what you think so far!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the fluff and awkward feelings :3c


	4. Nemesis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was another 'short' chapter that become not so short... Meanwhile, to my surprise, Axel has become quite a popular character... I'm not sure why? But I can't complain.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. The next one is well under way!

The first thing Emmet noted, as he slowly roused from sleep, was that he was  _ extremely  _ uncomfortable. 

He wasn’t entirely sure  _ why _ , but he felt incredibly warm. It was still the middle of winter, and he usually only had one or two blankets on his bed, but it felt as if he was in a sauna. He felt the sweat sticking to his forehead, his throat dry and raw, and a familiar pain pulsating through his head.

Shit. He was hungover. He’d nearly forgotten quite how bad it made him feel.

Emmet felt his stomach churn, making an awkward sound and he curled in on himself. That most definitely did not feel good-- he needed to get up, before he felt any worse. This was not going to be a good day at all.

What was even weirder about his predicament, was that he felt much heavier than usual. Maybe it was all in his head. He tried not to think much of it, as he moved to sit up. His arms would go completely numb if he waited any longer.

A sudden and unexpected tug on his waist nearly had him yelp in surprise.

_ Now _ he was wide awake.

Emmet stilled, realising what the cause of the weight on him was. He pulled up the covers, just a little-- enough to see what was attached to him.

There it was. A large, masculine hand-- and an arm-- curled around him, and most definitely attached to someone else.

Oh. 

_ Oh no.  _

Emmet put the covers back down again as carefully as he could, urging his brain not to go into full-blown panic mode.

What the hell happened last night? 

_ Shit shit shit _ \-- what did he  _ do _ ? Did he-- did he  _ seriously  _ bring someone  _ home _ with him?

Was he  _ that  _ desperate right now?

Emmet gazed down at his current state, still attempting to focus. He… had a shirt on. That was a good sign. His pants were there, too. In fact, he was sure that he was wearing whatever it was that he put on yesterday morning.

Alright, in that case, he could conclude that he probably _ didn’t  _ get laid.

He looked up in shock and confusion, causing the sudden movement to make his head spin. He was really,  _ really _ hungover right now.

Right, okay then. He probably  _ didn’t  _ have a sudden, regrettable hook up. That made him feel a little bit better.

The flash of a memory startled him, taking him back to yesterday afternoon. He had gone to work, after an emergency-- looking after one of his young cancer patients.

He remembered now. He’d been there... He’d… lost them.

Emmet bit his lip, trying not to think about it, and focus on the uncomfortable situation he’d now found himself in due to his lack of ability to control his stupid emotions.

_ Fuck.  _

But after that… He… he went home.

Then, he’d drank too much. And he’d… ?

Oh.

Now he remembered.

_ Rex _ \-- 

He’d been there last night. He’d said something to him. But… He couldn’t remember what it was. Or what he did--

This was going to make for one hell of an awkward morning.

He could tell that the other man was still asleep, due to his even breathing and rather intimate proximity. Now he could only pray that Rex wasn’t a sleep-groper. 

He was hard enough right now, knowing full well that he was pressed up against the man that had somehow become the object of his desires.

Emmet could feel himself panicking, his heart hammering away in his chest. He needed to get up now, before it got worse.

Unfortunately, his movements only made the situation escalate.

The hand slipped under his shirt, over his waist and moved upwards, around his chest, making him squirm involuntarily. He let out a quiet, surprised sound at the touch. A warm face pressed between his shoulder blades with a sigh. 

Emmet’s eyes went wide. He was wrong. So very, very wrong. He wasn’t going to get out of this as easily as he’d hoped.

But in a way, somewhere deep down, he hoped he  _ wouldn’t-- _ he hoped he could feign sleep, and continue to be the unsuspecting victim of Rex’s wandering hands.

Emmet would admit he was enjoying this too much. But it felt  _ wrong-- _

If Rex was asleep then he’d have no idea what he was doing, or  _ who  _ he was doing it to. There was no way he’d do this to Emmet in his right mind, and that thought made his heart ache.

Which led him to his next question-- the reason for this situation in the first place--

_ Why  _ was Rex here? Specifically, here, in his bed, with him--  _ together? _

He knew enough about Rex to be certain that he wasn’t from around here. Maybe it was normal to platonically share a bed with someone you knew, even if they were both men.

Emmet tried his best to not think about the previous night. He knew he had a bad habit of getting _ handsy _ . He knew he could become pathetic and needy when he drank. He was sure he’d talked Rex into it. 

Poor guy, having to deal with him when he’s like this--

An apology was definitely in order.

_ Fuck _ , why was he such an idiot?

The more he moved, the stronger Rex’s grip on him became, the more his hands wandered-- Emmet couldn’t stay here much longer, for his own sanity. But it was so warm, so  _ comforting _ \--

But he needed to get up--  _ now _ .

He felt a leg slipping between his, a hip pressed flush against his own. It took all his willpower not to push back. His body was no longer listening to him, he couldn’t control himself--

Rex was going to be the end of him. 

As he felt a hand wander downwards, Emmet let out a moan that he didn’t expect, that he tried to bite back--

Fuck, he was so turned on. He couldn’t contain himself any longer--

_ “Rex--!” _

He unceremoniously fell off the bed with a loud grunt, feeling the pain in his head radiate as he struggled to get up. He forced himself to sit upright from where he was on the ground, shifting his legs in a way to attempt to hide his aroused state. He was embarrassed enough as is, the last thing he needed right now was to look this desperate in front of company.

Emmet turned to look behind him, and saw Rex sitting up in bed, staring ahead of himself with a very tired and confused look on his face. He was mumbling something to himself as he rubbed his eyes, taking in his surroundings.

So he  _ had _ been asleep that whole time.

Well, _ shit. _

Rex finally noticed that he was there, as they locked eyes with one another. His expression turned from surprised to confused.

“You okay?” he asked, covering his mouth as he yawned. “You don’t look too good.”

What an understatement that was.

Emmet sighed, holding his head firmly with one hand, as he felt the pain in his head amplify. It had been quite a while since he’d last felt like this. He was out of practice.

“Yeah-- I’m fine, I think,” he replied, groaning rather pathetically. “ _ Fuck. _ ”

Rex’s sudden laugh startled him, as he looked at him in surprise.

“I never took you as the type to swear,” he commented, swinging his legs over the other side of the bed.

Emmet chuckled half-heartedly. “You haven’t seen me hungover before.”

The older man got to his feet, taking a moment to stretch himself out with a loud yawn. Emmet tried not to stare at his toned body as he did so, continuing to sit by the side of the bed.

Rex wobbled slightly, turning back to him with a shrug.

“First time for everything, I suppose.”

Emmet stared in disbelief as he watched him leave the room. He was so confused right now. 

How could he be so…  _ charming?  _ Was he saying those kinds of things on  _ purpose?  _ Did he even realise the effect he was having on him?

Emmet couldn’t afford to fall this hard.

He was screwed.

* * *

Emmet locked himself in the bathroom as soon as he could. He pressed his back to the door, taking a moment to breathe.

Shit, that had been close.

That was a side to Rex he didn’t think he’d ever see. That was something he could have  _ definitely _ lived without experiencing.

Emmet felt guilty, in a way-- he’d nearly gotten off on being groped by him, and yet Rex didn’t even realise what he was doing.

But somewhere, deep down… he hoped they could do that again, somehow--

_ No! _

Stop thinking about him this instant! 

He was a pathetic, tired, sore, hungover, horny, gay, emotional  _ mess _ . He needed to get his shit together  _ right now _ and stop thinking about Rex before he got himself into trouble.

Who was he kidding-- 

He was _ worthless _ to someone like Rex.

Emmet shook his head, slapping his hands on either side of his face in an attempt to snap himself out of his self-hating thoughts.

A shower was what he needed. A nice, long, cold shower to clean himself up and get rid of the constant tent in his pants.

Emmet gently pressed his forehead against the icy tiles, focusing on the water as it flowed down his back, using it as an attempt to calm himself down. He kept his eyes closed, trying his best to will away the lewd thoughts that continued to torment him.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes once more, looking down-- only to find himself in the exact same state he was when he had first awoken.

He was unbearably hard.

This wasn’t going to go away on its own. It was a grim realisation. He was reaching impossibly high levels of horniness, pathetically desperate to get laid.

It was no use.

Emmet turned his back to the tiles, pushing the stream of water away from his direction. He slowly creeped downward, letting his legs give out as he sat on the floor of the shower.

He reached over into the mess of assorted bottles in the corner, pulling out his emergency stash of lube. What could he say? He hated getting the sheets dirty. It was a much easier clean up process to do this in the shower.

He poured out a decent amount onto his palm, letting out a pathetic whine as he coated himself with it. He was so weak willed. 

Emmet closed his eyes, biting his lip as he tried to focus on the sensation of his hands, as one slipped between his open legs. It’d been a while since he’d last done this, and his technique was getting rusty. But he needed to make this quick-- and  _ quiet _ . The last thing he needed right now was to embarrass himself more than he already had.

He just… needed something to think about, to help him out--

_ Don’t think about Rex.  _

_ Don’t think about Rex. _

_ Don’t think about Rex-- _

Think of someone else. Why was his mind blank--  _ why was there no one else? _

He was so desperate he felt like he might cry.

As his pace quickened, the word was on the end of his tongue, threatening to spill out at any second-- He couldn’t stop himself, as much as he tried, as much as he  _ hated  _ himself for it--

The man of his current desires flashed before him, even as he tried his best to suppress it.

His moan came out on bitten lips.

“ _ Rex _ .”

* * *

Emmet stared at a complete and utter bastard in the reflection of the mirror. 

Seriously-- what the  _ fuck  _ was wrong with him?

There was no way he was going to let his dick ruin a perfectly… comfortable situation that he had between him and Rex. He was going to stare at himself with pure, fuming hate-- long enough to calm down-- and then face the man in the next room as if nothing happened.

_ That’s right.  _

_ Nothing happened.  _

_ Not between them, and not between Emmet and his hands. _

Taking another deep breath, he checked himself over once more, ensuring he was as presentable as possible, and left the room perfectly composed.

As soon as he made eye contact with Rex, he averted his eyes with an awkward smile. 

He mentally kicked himself for that.

Rex was in the kitchen, brewing coffee if his nose was correct. That was something good to take his mind off things. It might also help him snap out of his still hungover state.

Why did he feel like this in the first place?

Why the fuck did he mutter his name--  _ why? _

“You alright?” Rex asked, appearing beside him with a look of concern.

Emmet nearly jumped out of his skin. “Y-yeah,” he replied, eyes wide.

The other man smiled, placing a glass of water and a packet of painkillers on the table in front of him. He blinked as his mind continued to catch up with him.

“For the headache,” Rex stated, tapping his head before heading back into the kitchen.

Emmet quietly muttered a  _ thanks _ as he took a seat at the table. swallowing down the pills, and finishing the contents of the glass in one go.

Dealing with the hangover was one thing-- his current problem was that he couldn’t,  _ for the life of him _ , remember clearly what had happened last night. The two of them wound up in bed together-- that doesn’t just  _ happen _ . There was something that he was missing, he was sure of it.

“Wait--” he started, still looking down at the empty glass in his hands.

Rex paused what he was doing, turning around to face him. Emmet felt the sweat on his forehead again, as he tried to sound calm. He just needed to act cool and dumb, and get the answers he was looking for.

He just had to be  _ sure _ .

“Could you… uh,” Emmet licked his lips, trying his hardest not to look at him, “...tell me what happened yesterday?”

There was the sound of clutter from the kitchen, before he could feel the other man’s presence beside him again.

“You don’t remember?” Rex asked in response, taking a seat next to him at the table.

Emmet fidgetted, shifting his weight to lean on one arm. He couldn’t continue to avert his eyes if he was going to sit so close to him.

“N-not really…” he whispered.

Why didn’t he remember clearly? Of all times, why did his memory fail him  _ now? _

_ Please  _ tell him that he didn’t do something embarrassing.

Wait.

Oh no.

What if he made a _ move _ on Rex in his drunken state?

Did-- did he…  _ kiss _ him?

Oh shit-- if he did, then why hadn’t he said anything!?

“Right. Well, you were pretty upset last night,” Rex leaned back, drumming his fingers across the tabletop. “Then you decided it was a good idea to have half a bottle of whiskey when you got home.”

Emmet moved a hand over his face with a groan. Trust him to act like a complete idiot in front of company, all because of his out of control emotions. It wasn’t as if this was the first time he’d done that when he’d gotten home from a rough day at work-- but it was certainly the first time in front of someone else.

This was it. This was the moment where Emmet was  _ sure _ he’d be told about how much of a clingy gay mess he was. He was sure Rex was going to ask to leave now, to never see him again--

“...and then you passed out pretty quick, so I put you to bed.”

Emmet’s mind went blank. 

So... he didn’t say or do anything weird, which was good. But that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.

What was the  _ rest  _ of the story?

They were-- the two of them were sharing a bed, in a rather  _ intimate _ embrace-- that doesn't just _ happen _ \-- at least not in Emmet’s realm of existence. 

Rex must have noticed his panicked gaze, seemingly reflecting it as their eyes met.

“Look-- I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. But you were--” he made a gesture with his hands, as if searching for the correct term. “Very...  _ clingy _ .”

Emmet was sure that he was going to die of embarrassment.

He wanted to go straight back into the bedroom, curl up under the covers, and never show his face again.

“Uh... I’m sorry you had to see that,” he could feel his face turning a deeper shade of red. “I get like that when I drink...”

Much to Emmet’s surprise, his companion didn’t appear to be put off by him, even with the past twenty four hours of events taken into consideration. 

That was a good sign.

“It’s okay,” Rex smiled, in some attempt to reassure him, perhaps. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t slept that well in a long time.”

Emmet hesitated, thinking back to the last few awkward minutes the two of them had shared in bed. He  _ must  _ have been doing that in his sleep. It wouldn’t be surprising, he’d dated men before who had the same habit. Hell, he probably did it himself and was blissfully unaware of it.

At least he had the ability to act dumb about it.

“Glad I could help,” he replied with a slightly sarcastic tone. 

He leaned back in his chair, continuing to massage his sore head, and nearly losing his balance.

“I take it that you have the day off?” Rex asked as he got up from his seat.

“Yeah,” Emmet squinted as he looked up at the other. “Can’t work in a hospital if you’re hungover.”

The older man shrugged, looking relieved by his response.

“Fair point.”

Emmet watched as he retreated back into the kitchen, eyeing him with curiosity. He hadn’t even noticed what it was that he was doing over there. Rex moved to the fridge, pulling out nearly half the contents onto the kitchen bench, and preparing the stove top.

“Take a load off,” he said with a wink. “I’ll make us breakfast.”

After everything they’d just discussed, after what Emmet had put him through last night-- he was going to cook for him?

“You don’t have to--”

“I want to,” Rex interrupted, cracking two eggs into the pan. “Least I can do.”

Emmet faltered, but decided not to argue with him. He was the kind of guy that wouldn’t listen to him even if he tried to protest.

He was sure he’d zoned out, the time passing by faster than he’d anticipated. He was brought back by the familiar smell of coffee, as a mug was placed in front of him, followed by a hearty plateful of food.

He tried his best not to drool.

“I know you had a tough day yesterday,” Rex said softly. “Let me know if I can do anything for you.”

Emmet had no idea what he did to deserve this. He wasn’t even sure what to say at this point. He’d already done so much for him.

“You’re too kind,” he replied quietly.

“You can talk,” Rex chuckled, and he tried his best not to stare. “Got to repay you somehow.”

Emmet had run out of things to argue with, and was silenced as his coffee was pushed into his hand.

“Just let me take care of _ you _ for a change. I doubt I'll get another opportunity.”

He stared into the older man’s emerald eyes and tried not to get lost in them.

Emmet had no idea what he’d do without him.

* * *

After tidying up the mess he’d made with breakfast-- which was more like brunch, due to how long they’d overslept-- Rex finally had some time to clean himself up.

He promptly made his way to the bathroom, taking a minute to get a good look at himself in the mirror. He’d certainly seen better days, and he was desperately in need of a trim-- his beard was getting out of control.

He pulled out a fresh razor from one of the draws, followed by what he assumed was shaving cream, and got to work. His mind continued to wander with each stroke of the razor.

Rex remembered Emmet’s face as he looked at him last night, full of anxiety and desperation. He remembered pulling him into his arms, and curling around him as he listened to the younger man’s gentle breathing.

It had been  _ ridiculously _ comfortable, and strangely intimate, in a way. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d held someone. 

When he thought about it that way, it sounded awfully depressing.

It got to the point where he hadn’t wanted to fall asleep, as he found the view was so comforting to him. _ _

Speaking of sharing a bed…

_ Wait a minute-- _

Emmet had been acting rather peculiarly since last night. Was it just because he couldn’t remember, or--

He didn’t do anything...  _ weird _ in his sleep-- did he? 

No, Emmet would have told him. Or slapped him, at least. As much as Rex liked him, he’d hate to scare him away like that.

But he did have a rather _ …  _ nice dream. He was sleeping with someone, holding them, touching them--

No, _no-- _It was just a dream, nothing more. It had nothing to do with Emmet. Now was not the time to go and get the hots for the man who saved him. Not when he’d have to leave soon, and never come back.

_ Let it go, Dangervest.  _

What’s he going to say when he learns the  _ truth?  _ You’re not worth anything to someone like him.

Rex leaned over the sink, splashing water into his face before drying himself off. He looked a little more presentable now, but still felt like shit. Most of the small cuts on his face and arms had healed, and were barely noticeable by now. Even the worst of the bruises on his chest were fading into a less noticeable yellow, and best of all--

The worst of his wounds had become completely painless, practically overnight. It would still radiate if he overexerted himself or moved in a particularly awkward way, but for the most part-- he’d nearly forget it was there.

He couldn’t quite explain it, but he wondered if it had anything to do with what happened last night-- as little sense as that made.

As soon as he exited the room, he startled at the sight in front of him. Emmet looked as if he was going to melt into the couch, a depressing aura floating around him. Maybe he just needed some cheering up. Or at least something to take his mind off yesterday.

“Let’s go out for a bit,” Rex offered, taking a seat next to him.

He’d been feeling much better today than he had since he’d first arrived in this dimension. There was no better time than now to go out, and risk being seen-- at least in his current state, Rex knew that he would be strong enough to put up a fight if they ran into trouble.

Emmet still had his eyes averted, looking down at the floor as if it might hold all of the answers to his problems.

Rex hesitated. Perhaps he could go for a different approach.

“You know... I wouldn’t mind getting some new clothes.”

Another offer, perhaps more tempting. Emmet had struck him as the kind of guy that didn’t mind doing some shopping here and there. If Rex had read him correctly, he seemed to perk up a little at the idea.

Maybe he was on the right track.

“If you’re up for it, we could also grab some lunch later,” Rex placed a hand on his chin thoughtfully. “Or… would it be dinner by then?”

Emmet chuckled softly, a small grin spreading across his features.

_ Now _ he was getting somewhere.

“You’re very good at convincing me,” he replied, finally meeting his eyes.

Rex couldn’t help but feel just a  _ little  _ warm in his chest when he looked at him like that.

“Well, I have been getting some _ intense  _ cabin fever, being cooped up in here all week. So I think it would do us  _ both _ good to get out for a bit.”

He jumped up from the couch, turning to Emmet and offering him a hand. After a moment, he pulled the younger man to his feet, and made their way out the house together.

It was still rather chilly outside, and Rex was getting rather sick of the jumper he’d been wearing since he’d first arrived. He’d have to make sure to buy a new one, or two, while they were out.

They navigated the streets, standing rather close to each other. Rex told himself it was because of the cold, and not any  _ other _ reason.

“I’ll have to do some long shifts over the next couple of days,” Emmet told him, breaking the silence in the air.

Rex gave him a look. He had no idea how this kid could handle the constant stress of such a job, and remain so optimistic all the time. Even after what he’d seen last night.

“I don’t know  _ how _ you keep up with such long hours,” he commented.

“You get used to it,” the younger man shrugged. “But I’m glad I’ve got the day off. I could use a bit of fun right now.”

Rex watched Emmet’s expression carefully. He was still hungover, and looked rather uncomfortable still due to that-- but he was smiling. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad sign, but he’d take it over him being drunk or sad again.

As they arrived at the local shopping mall, Rex felt a sudden, strong tug on his arm, causing his attention to snap back to the other.

“We should go to the cinema!” Emmet commented with excitement, pointing out the rather sad looking theatre to their right.

For a moment, Rex struggled to get a hold of his own memory, wondering when he last saw a film.

“That… actually sounds pretty good,” he replied, surprising himself. “Lead the way.”

Rex couldn’t help but feel the guilt creep in again, as he watched the younger man pay for their tickets, and insist on getting snacks before they headed in.

The two of them found their allocated seats rather quickly, settling in and getting comfortable. He glanced to his side, unable to contain a grin as Emmet struggled with a mouth full of popcorn.

This was… nice. Nothing weird about it at all. It most certainly wasn’t a date. It was just… two guys hanging out. At a cinema. Together.

_ No time to overthink things. _

The film turned out to be very similar to one that had come out in his home dimension, a few years back. It was mostly horror and sci-fi, which didn’t bother him in the slightest. In fact, he found it quite entertaining. 

But he couldn’t help but hear the sounds of discomfort coming from his right. As he glanced over, he noted Emmet was squirming in his seat, trying his best not to look away from the screen, but continuing to look uncomfortable by the graphic content they were shown.

“Considering your job, I thought this wouldn’t bother you at all,” Rex teased, leaning over to steal a handful of popcorn.

“I know,” Emmet made a pitiful sound, covering his eyes and looking in his direction. “I can’t help but be squeamish when it’s on the big screen, though. No idea why.”

It took all of Rex’s will not to reach out and comfort him in some way. He felt his hands clench by his side, seemingly having a mind of their own. He tried to zone out and just  _ stop thinking _ , at least for a while-- before he said or did something stupid.

Once the film wrapped up, they headed out to the nearest clothing store. Emmet talked to him almost non-stop about the film-- the plot points, the characters, the little things that didn’t make sense-- Rex didn’t have much to add to the conversation, but he found it very entertaining to listen to, as Emmet spoke with such awe and passion.

They reached their next destination as Emmet was wrapping up his theory about the entire film premise, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. 

At least they wouldn’t be here for too much longer-- he just needed to pick up a few cheap, bare essentials, and head home afterwards. He was starting to get unreasonably hungry as well.

Rex wasn’t the kind of guy to spend a lot of time looking around. As soon as he found a plain, black hoodie, he picked one up and threw it over his shoulder. Shortly after that was the shirts-- there was nothing he hated more than sleeves on t-shirts. He wasn’t sure why, but tank tops were just incredibly comfortable in comparison, and didn’t limit his movements as much as sleeves did. He picked up a few of their darkest, plainest tank tops, and added them to the pile. 

One last item caught his eye as they walked towards the changeroom-- an array of non-prescription glasses. Rex paused, spinning around the rack of sunglasses and giving them all a quick run down. He picked up a pair he thought suited him the most, placing them on and turning to his companion.

“What do you think?” He asked, making a face.

Emmet simply laughed and gave him a thumbs up, which was a good enough answer for him.

“C’mon,” Rex gestured to his hands. “I’ll try these on, then we’ll grab some dinner.”

* * *

Emmet never knew that something as simple as shopping for t-shirts could be quite as fun as this. It was something he hadn’t done in a long time, which made him feel nostalgic to some extent. He was standing just outside of the changing room that Rex had ducked in to, and was leaning up against the nearest wall as he waited.

It was so strange, in a way-- he’d never imagined Rex to have this side to him. But he couldn’t complain. He liked it. Perhaps a little _ too _ much.

“Hey-- can you pass me a shirt?” The older man asked out of view.

Emmet pulled one from the pile in his arms, about to slide it around the side of the curtain, before it was pushed away and he was face to face with a half naked Rex,  _ again _ , in as many days. 

He spent just an ounce too long looking at his bare chest before he raised his eyes, offering the shirt silently.

“Thanks,” Rex said with a smile, before disappearing once more.

Emmet spun around, looking at the ground and hiding his blush. 

Shit-- he really  _ did _ have it bad. He couldn’t help but worry about how this was going to end. Rex was looking much better now, which meant he was probably leaving soon, to go back to his job-- which raised a good question. Did that mean he was still undercover? If so, he probably wouldn’t be able to socialise with people like Emmet, much to his dismay.

But he wanted to keep seeing him. He wished he could stay with him just a  _ little bit _ longer. Would that be  _ weird? _ Would he find him too clingy? Would he be disgusted if he learned that Emmet had a crush on him?

_ Fuck-- _ he was such a disaster right now, he had no idea what to do. Maybe he could talk to Lucy again, she was always great at getting his head back on straight. But she would probably tell him that Rex was bad news, or two dangerous to be around, or--

“Are you still there?” A voice questioned behind him.

Emmet started, not realising he’d been zoning out. He turned to look at Rex, and that was his first mistake.

He was standing there, in a very snug tank top, and a navy pair of jeans-- both of which complimented his build  _ very _ well, and made Emmet’s mouth go dry. He knew he should stop staring, and that it would be rude not to reply, but he was sure that his mind felt like a broken record.

“What do you think?” Rex asked with a hand on his hip.

Emmet opened his mouth to reply, but found no words, as he snapped it shut again. He tried his best to think of any word he could say, so he said the only word he could think of when it came to Rex.

“Perfect.”

He smiled in response, and Emmet was left alone once more. He ran a hand down his face, cursing his uncooperative mind, begging his wandering thoughts to get themself under control.

A strange sound caught him off guard, as he blinked, eyebrows furrowing. He waited silently, wondering where it was coming from-- when he realised it was behind him.

“You okay in there, Rex?” Emmet asked hesitantly.

He paused, listening intently. The other man didn’t respond, and all he could hear was sounds of… discomfort? A struggle? He was becoming more concerned by the minute.

There was a loud sigh. 

“Well, actually--” Rex went silent for a moment, and Emmet tried not to panic. “I think I’m a bit… stuck.”

He blinked, eyes widening. What did he mean by  _ stuck?  _ How the--

Emmet threw open the curtain, to see Rex hunched over slightly, with the hoodie he was wearing trapped over his head. His arms were flailing around, as he tried and failed to get a grip on the piece of clothing obstructing his view. 

It looked to be just a little too much of a tight fit, to the point where he couldn’t get it off.

He couldn't contain his sudden bark of laughter, taken by surprise to see a grown man stuck in such a predicament. He covered his mouth quickly so as to not make a scene, but he found himself unable to stop his giggling.

Rex pointed a finger in his direction, even though he was off by at least a few inches, pointing towards the wall instead.

“Don’t laugh, it’s not funny,” he replied sternly, but with a hint of humour in his voice. 

Emmet finally got himself under control, looking around and noting no one else in their vicinity. He knew this might look a little suggestive, but hey-- he couldn’t leave Rex hanging like that. At least, that was his excuse.

“I forgot your movements are still rather limited,” he noted, eyeing the wound on his stomach that still appeared to be causing him some distress. “Here--”

He slipped into the change room, which was already enough of a tight fit, and tried his best to get a good grip on the garment in question. Part of him was telling him to stop, that this was a bad idea-- and that  _ instead _ he should spend more time enjoying the view while he could.

Emmet really hated his own conscience sometimes. 

Rex wasn’t helping the situation either, his constant flailing making his job harder than it already was. He was sure he could break the other man free from the hoodie if he would just--

“Stop  _ struggling- _ -”

The words had barely left his mouth before he was knocked into the wall by sudden force, a weight landing on him shortly afterwards. It took him a moment to realise that Rex had now been freed from his temporary imprisonment, and the two of them had fallen directly into the wall, one after the other.

Rex was so close to him, and he wasn’t sure what he looked like to the other man-- or what kind of face he was pulling. He felt as if time was standing still, and he couldn’t remember how to breath.

Emmet knew then that he wanted to kiss him more than anything.

And that thought scared the shit out of him.

A loud, scolding voice from outside the changing room startled both of them back to reality, as they realised how this would probably look from the outside. Emmet’s eyes went wide as Rex mirrored his expression, before they quickly collected themselves and left, before they got into any further trouble.

They both began laughing on their way out, and Emmet wasn’t sure why. He blamed it on the sudden awkwardness, and the way his nerves put him on the brink of panicking.

“Thanks,” Rex said with a hand on his shoulder “I’m glad you were here-- otherwise that would have been a difficult situation to get out of.”

Emmet couldn’t understand how he could say that with a straight face, considering whatever the hell _ that _ was-- that just happened only moments ago.

_ Yeah-- ‘straight’ is right. _

He rolled his eyes at his own internal monologue, running a hand down his face. He really needed to sort himself out, before he did something stupid or made a complete ass of himself.

Emmet just needed to calm down and give up on his ridiculous, hopeless crush.

* * *

Rex unloaded the several boxes of take-away food they’d ordered from a local asian restaurant, and the smell was making him impatient with hunger. He sorted the contents out on the counter, dividing up the food between them and trying his best not to make a mess as he did so.

As he moved to the kitchen table, he found Emmet nowhere in sight. He was probably changing in his room, knowing how big of a day they’d had.

Rex took the opportunity to collect his thoughts for a moment. He could tell he was staying here too long. He was getting too close. Look at him-- practically  _ living _ here and acting like he wasn’t on the run from a murderer, and that he wasn’t completely useless in his current state. 

He could still be in danger. No, was  _ sure _ he was-- no better than a sitting duck, waiting for death to come knocking on the door. He needed to keep his guard up, and he needed to make sure Emmet didn’t get dragged into this along with him. 

As he sat at the table, meal laid out before him, Rex suddenly thought back to that awkward moment from a few hours ago. He couldn’t believe he’d been dumb enough to pick out clothes that were small enough to physically cripple him. 

What an  _ embarrassment _ .

The fact that Emmet had to come and ‘save’ him from his fate of being stuck inside a hoodie just made him cringe. 

He’d nearly crushed the younger man in their struggle, and had ended up so close to him-- he had looked so small, and Rex was sure if he was in a different situation, he might have made a move on him.

Rex paused at that thought, furrowing his brow. 

Why the hell would he think that? He had bigger problems to worry about than his teenager-level angst for a man years younger than him. 

He was weak. He was lost. He was useless.

He had no idea where his partner was, and he had no idea where Axel was.

He could feel his time running out.

Rex practically choked when Emmet joined him again, wearing a fresh shirt, and no pants at all. He was walking around with a pair of small dark grey briefs, that were just the right size to make Rex’s eyes unable to look away.

_ The fuck was happening? _

Was he  _ trying  _ to seduce him?

Emmet turned to him and he practically flinched in response. He didn’t notice that he was staring--  _ right? _

“You got any laundry?” He asked, hands full of clothes. “I’m way overdue to do a wash.”

Rex simply shook his head, knowing full well that words would fail him right now. Had he seriously been so busy looking after Rex, that he’d gotten to the point where he was out of pants?

_ Was that even a bad thing? _

Rex mentally slapped himself, getting sick and tired of his brain’s constant mixed messages.

One thing he knew for sure, without a shadow of a doubt--

Emmet had a  _ great _ arse.

_ No, no, no--  _

That train of thought needed to stop  _ right now _ , before he fell any deeper.

“Hey, you want a beer?” Emmet asked as he returned to the kitchen, standing by the open fridge. The light from within illuminated his figure in the now dim room, in all the right places.

Rex hoped that he didn’t look too flustered from where he sat. 

“Yeah, that’d be great,” he nodded, offering a small grin. 

He knew as soon as he replied, that it would be best to look away, for his eyes to stop lingering. He tried not to look as the younger man bent over to retrieve the alcohol from the back of the fridge, and he tried not to think about how soft his skin would feel beneath his fingertips--

_ Stop staring! _

Why did he keep  _ staring? _

Rex crossed his legs, averting his eyes to look at literally anything else he could find.

The younger man smiled, placing both beers on the table, and taking a detour to the couch to collect a blanket. Rex’s eyes followed him with curiosity, as he wrapped himself up in it like a little cocoon. It still was chilly, after all-- pants or no pants.

Emmet took a seat next to him, passing over one of the beers, “Here.”

Rex took the offer without a second thought, pausing a moment to let them clink bottles.

“Cheers.”

He took a hearty swig from the bottle, enjoying the refreshing taste, and how it relaxed his nerves-- just a bit.

Rex glanced to his left, noting Emmet was sitting there comfortably, engrossed in whatever it was that he was eating, making an assortment of expressions as he did so. He’d zoned out a while ago, and found this view far better than anything else he could think of, for reasons he wasn’t sure of.

He still couldn’t believe it-- this cute, dorky guy-- who most certainly had saved his life-- was sitting here next to him, blissfully unaware of the effect he was having on him. He was glad he had a beer in his hand, otherwise he wasn’t sure how else to explain the flush in his cheeks.

Rex hadn’t felt like this since--

He paused, mind coming to a screeching halt. 

No,  _ no-- _ he couldn’t go through that again. He couldn’t feel that vulnerable, and deal with the heartbreak--

“I’ve got a pretty big day tomorrow,” Emmet interrupted his thoughts, turning to him with a big grin. “You might not see me ‘til late.”

That could actually work for him right now. It was probably for the best. He needed to get his shit together now.

In fact, all scenarios considered-- he should probably leave here while Emmet was out. Just slip away, into the side streets, never to be seen again by the likes of the residents of this dimension. Never to return again.

It made his heart ache, and he didn’t want to admit to himself why.

What was  _ wrong _ with him?

Rex took a moment to collect himself, before nodding in response. 

“Alright. Don’t overdo it.”

Emmet smiled, his expression softening. “I’ll try my best.”

* * *

Rex had dozed off at some point on the couch later that evening, the sounds of the television becoming nothing but a low hum in his ears. He was so out of it that he’d nearly completely missed the soft voice of the man beside him, as it interrupted his thoughts.

“So, last night…”

He snapped out of it, noticing Emmet’s sudden words and change in demeanour. He gazed to his right, studying the expression on the younger man’s face in the dim light.

“I only drink because--” His breath hitched, inadvertently causing him to pause.

This was going to be one of  _ those _ conversations.

“Hey, it’s okay. Take your time,” Rex spoke softly, hoping to be of some comfort.

He received a brief smile from Emmet in response, before he continued.

“When I was young, my mother was diagnosed with a rather late stage cancer,” he twiddled his thumbs, hunching over as if to make himself smaller. “I spent a lot of time with her in the hospital, as you can imagine. I remember the nurses who were there. They were so good to her, even when it got bad. It really inspired me, though-- so I knew from then on what I wanted to do with my life.”

Rex blinked, unsure how to respond. He thought it best for now to remain quiet-- it sounded like Emmet had a lot on his mind, and a lot to say-- and the last thing he needed to do right now was interrupt.

It was almost peculiar, in a way-- the two of them had similar life goals, when it came to their chosen career. They both wanted to save people, in their own way.

“But again, with the drinking-- it’s still hard, when you lose a patient. They’re more than that to me, even though I know I should keep my distance, in an emotional sense. I try to be strong, but... there are some days that are harder than others.”

Rex was amazed by the clear passion behind his words as he spoke. When they’d first met, he would have never guessed that he was such a caring soul, but was certainly thankful-- he’d have no idea where he’d be right now if they’d never crossed paths in the first place.

“I've... always loved kids,” Emmet continued, pausing to bite his lip. “Kids are always so strong, you know? Even when they get sick-- they try their best to fight it, but they also remain optimistic and cheerful most of the time--”

For a moment, Rex wondered why he was telling him all these things. He couldn’t understand how he could help, or what he could say. But then he realised-- Emmet probably didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this kind of thing.

“I just wish I could save more of them...” The younger man stared down at his hands, talking to them, as if they had the answers to his problems.

Rex still couldn’t believe how much of a soft, kind-hearted person he was. It had been so long since he’d seen someone be so selfless in their job, their life, their  _ actions-- _

He felt his faith in humanity was growing, even by just a little bit, especially after the shit he’d been dealing with lately. But that was the last thing he wanted to think about right now.

“I’d certainly love to adopt kids one day,” Emmet commented thoughtfully, letting out a deep breath. “I've always had such a soft spot for them. But seeing them at work is hard. They're only there because they are sick.” 

Rex clenched his hands in his lap, wanting nothing more than to bring him in for a tight hug-- but he knew that would be crossing a boundary. He hated feeling this useless, when it came to comfort-- he never knew what to do.

“You don’t think you'll get married?” Rex asked.

The words left his lips before he fully comprehended what he was saying. Of all the things to pick up from this conversation,  _ that _ was what was on his mind? It was none of his business, why would he even  _ say  _ that?

To his surprise, Emmet laughed, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever find someone at this point,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Let alone someone who’d want to be stuck with me.”

Rex couldn’t help but feel there was more to that than he was saying. How could he even  _ think  _ such a thing? He was young, kind,  _ attractive-- _

He stopped himself from thinking any further, feeling his emotions and personal attachment beginning to creep in.

It took him a moment longer to realise he was staring, and Emmet was giving him a look. His cheeks were flushed, and he was looking directly into his eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure what it meant, or why his eyes kept flickering down to his lips, but--

Rex stood up abruptly, a feeling of dread hitting him full force, and out of left field. He placed a hand on the back of his neck, eyes wide as he studied their surroundings carefully.

Emmet was up next to him a moment later, staring at him with concern.

“You okay?” He asked, placing a hand on his arm.

Rex took a moment to collect himself, attempting to calm down as he felt how tense he’d become.

“Yeah--” He mumbled, eyeing the front door with suspicion. “Don’t know what came over me.”

Emmet stared at him with curiosity, cocking his head to the side but remaining silent.

“It’s just--”

Rex turned around, facing his companion and knowing full well how ridiculous he must sound right now.

“It felt like someone walked over my grave.”

* * *

The dimensional portal ripped open in the middle of the alleyway, causing rubbish and debris to fly in all directions.

It was dark, close to midnight-- with not a soul in sight. No one was there to watch Axel step through, landing gracefully on the ground without a hitch. He’d become so used to travelling by now that he’d practically mastered it. Any lesser man would be shivering on the ground, unable to endure the pain and discomfort of having his molecules scrambled and shot through to another universe. 

Axel took a moment to scan the area of the familiar street, memories of his last fight with Rex flashing before him. It had been rather pathetic, seeing him fall so easily to him. In fact, he’d doubted his own actions at one point, wondering if it would have been a safer option to kill him then and there, instead of allowing him the possibility of getting away--

But where would be the  _ fun _ in that?

He knelt down in the same part of the alleyway, exactly where he’d left his doppleganger’s body. There was a large, old blood stain soaked into the ground, but no corpse to be found. 

Considering the extent of the injuries he inflicted, there would be no way Rex could have saved himself, or gotten to his feet and walked away. Not only that, but he knew for a fact that Rex had never travelled here before, and would have no connections or help to speak of. That, mixed with the severe lack of any useful technology in this dimension, made him the perfect, useless target.

The only explanation that Axel could come to was the local hospital. He had always been precise with his blade-- he knew the extent of the damage he dealt, and that medical treatment would have been required within those next few hours for him to not bleed to death.

And what would you know? According to Axel’s communicator, there was a hospital only a few blocks away.

It was almost too easy. Just his luck.

It only took Axel a few minutes to locate the entrance to the hospital. He stopped for a minute to collect himself, finding his days of travelling with little to no sleep beginning to catch up with him. But that would have to wait-- he was too close now.

He pulled out his knife, taking a moment to get a good look at it, before placing it back in its sheath. The two of them had been through a lot these last few years-- he was almost sad to see this grand journey come to an end.

Although, Axel was sure there’d be other people to kill down the line. He’d better not lose hope  _ just _ yet. He couldn’t help but wonder if his thirst for power would ever end at this point.

Axel chuckled to himself, walking up to the front entrance and heading through the door. It was bright inside, allowing him to get a good look at the state he was in for the first time in days. Most of his clothes were completely soaked in dried blood. There were stains on his arms, and most noticeably, his hands--

“Fuck, I need a shower,” he mumbled to himself. He could figure that out later-- no point cleaning himself up now if he’s just going to be covered in blood again.

He paused, scanning the area to plan what he should do next. He was in a waiting room of sorts-- people all over the place with untreated injuries and sad faces. That, mixed with the white-coloured walls and smell of disinfectant made Axel want to leave this place as soon as possible.

He waltzed up to the front desk, casually placing an arm on the counter as he peered down at the man in front of him. 

“Please take a seat, a nurse will be with you shortly,” the receptionist told him, not even bothering to give him so much as a glance.

Axel continued to stay where he was, a grin on his face, which eventually he couldn’t contain as he broke out into a hysterical laugh. 

All eyes were on him now, including those in front of him.

“Oh, this?” Axel asked, waving a hand in front of him. “This isn’t  _ my  _ blood.”

He continued to smile, teeth on display, not breaking eye contact for a second, feeling the young man start to falter under his gaze. He could feel their fear. He could  _ taste _ it.

It was fucking  _ beautiful _ .

Axel took the opportunity to pull out his trusty knife, dragging the blunt edge across his cheek, for no other reason than it appeared to make everyone around him uncomfortable. It was so  _ easy  _ to fuck with people, to the point it was becoming almost comical to him.

“Now, here’s what you’re going to do for me,” he stated, pointing the knife casually in the receptionist’s direction. “You’re gonna tell me which room I can find  _ Rex Dangervest. _ ”

A moment passed, then another. Nothing happened as Axel continued to stare with an unamused expression. They remained frozen on the spot.

“Well?” he questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Do I need to come over there?”

Axel wasn’t known for being a man of patience, but his words appeared to have sparked a response, as the receptionist hastily clacked away at their computer for a few painfully long minutes.

“There-- there hasn’t been anyone here by that name,” a shaky voice told him.

He rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. There was always the possibility that he chose to use a fake name, that wouldn’t surprise him-- he was out of his element, so to speak. 

Axel didn’t have time for this.

He lunged forward, grabbing the man in front of him by the front of his shirt and pulling him close, until he nearly toppled over the counter.

“Look-- he would look practically  _ identical  _ to me--” Axel paused to make a circular motion around his face with his free hand. “But he’d be broken and bleeding, a  _ pathetic _ mess of a man--”

He didn’t mean to raise his voice-- he was just starting to get a slight bit touchy. He didn’t like being kept waiting. The man in front of him looked as if they were on the brink of tears. 

How pathetic.

“Don’t make me ask again,” he finished, releasing his hold.

This wasn’t adding up. If they were telling the truth, and Rex was never here, then--

Something caught his eye, stealing his attention away from the task at hand. The wall a few metres to his right had an array of photographs strewn across it, of various people-- including group pictures of what he could only assume were the staff that worked there.

Axel dismissed his place by the counter, strolling over to the wall for a better look. In any other situation, he wouldn’t waste a second of his time idling on it. But that wasn’t the most interesting part.

There it was, just to the right of the largest photo-- a pair of eyes he recognised, that he’d know anywhere, that he saw in his reflection  _ everyday-- _

A deep emerald green, just like his own. It was the face of the last man he needed to kill before Rex. 

What are the odds that he’d find him here, of all places? It couldn’t be that convenient-- _ could it? _

Axel was brought from his thoughts suddenly as a loud influx of stomping invaded the area around him. He now found himself surrounded where he stood, by a mixture of police officers and security guards, if he could hazard a guess. The other bystanders were freaking out, yelling and screaming, trying to escape the building they all found themselves trapped in.

He grinned, taking in the stern, yet concerned, look on the faces of his soon-to-be prey. Even though he was clearly outnumbered, everyone around him was outmatched. 

Axel reached for his knife again, changing to an offensive stance, licking his lips in anticipation. This was  _ exactly  _ what he needed right now. The officers raised their guns, threatening to shoot, and he hoped they’d just shut up already and get on with it--  _ he had places to be. _

“You know what they say,” Axel paused, eyeing each person around him briefly. “ _ No survivors. _ ”

The proceeding minutes involved immeasurable amounts of bloodshed. He could taste it in the air. He felt it drying on his skin. No one stood a chance. His speed, his power, his skill-- they were levels above the rest. Their guns were a joke, as he dodged each and every oncoming bullet they threw at him with ease.

He was  _ unstoppable. _

Axel paused once he realised he was the only living soul left in the crowd. The air was cold and silent, the only sound in the air was his ragged breathing and racing heartbeat echoing in his ears.

There he stood, in a hospital, surrounded by a sea of red, and countless bodies littering the floor. It was unnecessary, yes-- but anyone who stood between him and his end goal was disposable. 

He’d had enough of this. 

Axel left the hospital, nearly as quickly as he came in, and stood outside in the dim light for a moment. He pulled up his communicator, checking to see just how much information he had left on his next target.

The same face that he saw moments ago flickered on screen-- and he didn’t even need to check any further to know what he needed to do next. He realised the feeling he’d had since he arrived wasn’t  _ Rex _ , it was--

Emmet.

Axel chuckled to himself-- this was almost too good to be true. He must be close by, it was the only explanation-- and he was sure it wouldn’t take him long to find him. He knew he wasn’t here, at the hospital, at present-- otherwise he would have sensed him immediately.

He pushed off, heading towards the busiest section of the surrounding streets. There were plenty of shops, restaurants, and housing that could be a possible location to search. He needed to start somewhere.

As he rounded the next corner, he was startled by something sudden running into him--

“Hey, watch where you’re--”

The words died on his lips, as he found himself face-to-face with the exact man he was looking for. He was so surprised that he took an extra second to process what he was looking at.

It was certainly his lucky day.

He didn’t let a moment pass by wasted. He reached down for his knife, placing a firm hand on it with a smirk, then--

“Rex?”

Axel paused, blinking. He stared at the younger man in front of him, who was giving him a curious and familiar look, while also reeking of alcohol.

He raised an eyebrow in response. This was an interesting change of events. He could work with this.

Maybe this could turn out better than expected.

* * *

Saying goodbye to his husband and child, for a _ second  _ time, was harder than Daniel anticipated. But it had to be done-- now, or never. He still had a job to do, and a friend to save. 

As he sat in his police cruiser, he continued to evaluate the data he had left on Rex’s other selves. There were only a few more to choose from at this point, only a few more dimensions that could hold the key to stopping this entire murderous spree.

He jumped to the  _ Demerter _ dimension next, and much to his luck, landed not too far from where the  _ Rex _ of this universe-- so to speak-- lived.

Daniel made haste, staring down at his tracker as he ran down the nearest alley, turned at the next gas station, and rounded the corner to a set of apartment blocks.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up at the sight in front of him.

He was too late.

_ Again. _

Daniel knelt down beside the woman laying lifeless on the ground, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She was probably one of the youngest he’d seen, barely out of her teens, if he were to guess. Yet here she was, cold as ice, and submerged in a pool of her own blood.

He couldn’t linger, even if he wanted to. Axel wasn’t the type of guy to wait around to be stopped by the likes of him.

Daniel couldn’t be one hundred percent sure if this was the particular dimension that Rex was stranded in or not. He didn’t have any spare time to check. He’d have to just hope that he could cross paths with Axel, and somehow, find Rex at the same time.

It was the only way.

After making a quick report back to headquarters, he was off through another dimensional portal, barely having enough time to recover from the last one. The place he landed in seemed familiar, in a way-- he wasn’t sure if it was because it reminded him of home, or if he’d been there before.

Daniel pulled up the identification of the next  _ Rex _ on their list-- as far as he could tell, they were the last one left now.

A single person, who now held the fate of the multiverse, just as much as Rex and Axel did.

If Daniel was correct, this young man would be just as powerful as the other two, now that there were only three of them remaining. Their powers would be equal, and just as devastating as each other. Perhaps he could stay safe long enough to escape his impending fate, or even just long enough for Daniel to find Rex, and they could help save this kid together. 

He was cute,  _ young _ \-- so full of life. 

Daniel was sick and tired of seeing people like this as dead, lifeless bodies. Maybe this was the one he could finally save. Maybe this was the one that Rex could get to, before it ended with more bloodshed.

He couldn’t help but feel that this kid would lead him to Rex in the end. He wasn’t sure  _ why _ \-- but it was what his gut was telling him. He knew from experience to trust his instincts.

Daniel took one last look at the flickering display, double checking to make sure he was going after the right person. 

_ Identification Number: #8695213 _

_ Origin Dimension: Janus _

_ Name: Emmet Brickowski _

He dismissed the screen, and sprang into the fastest sprint of his life. He didn’t have any time left to lose.

* * *

“You  _ sure _ you’re alright to get home?” his coworker asked, offering a hand on his shoulder to balance him.

“Yeah, it’s-- I’m only a few blocks away,” Emmet reassured, wanting to be anywhere but here right now. “I’ll be  _ fine _ .”

He stopped smiling as soon as he’d waved them off, finally by himself once more. He was so  _ over  _ this. 

Work functions were the  _ worst-- _ being forced to socialise with people he already had to put up with at work all day or night was enough for him. 

If he was honest, he would say that he was more interested in knowing how Rex was doing at this moment.

_ Shit _ \-- it was as if his entire universe revolved around that man now.

Emmet had a bad habit of forgetting where he was whenever he was deep in thought. It was even worse when he was drunk as well,  _ and t _ rying to find his way home at the same time.

When he turned down the usual alleyway, he ran head-first into someone else, nearly knocking himself over in the process. He regained his balance quickly, looking up with an concerned look, ready to apologise, when-- 

Emmet recognised those eyes.

“Rex?” he said in surprise, taking a moment to collect himself. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. I thought I told you to stay at home.”

The older man’s expression completely changed, and he stared at Emmet with a quizzical look. He began to doubt himself in his tipsy state, wondering if he’d said something wrong, and even struggling to remember what he’d just said altogether.

“Yeah-- I needed to get out for a walk,” Rex replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “Some fresh air, and all that. But... I got a bit lost. So it’s a good thing you showed up.”

He sighed. Of  _ course _ he’d gotten lost. It was just like him to do that. But he couldn’t stay mad at him.

“Okay, come on. Not far now.”

Emmet let out a loud yawn, as the two of them continued down the road. Rex stood not too far behind him, which he thought was rather odd, as he usually was never far from his side. When he thought of it like that, it did sound rather  _ weird _ .

He turned his head back to look at him briefly, making sure he was still there. He received a smile in response, but he couldn’t help but feel like something was off with him today.

Rex didn’t look anywhere near as hurt as he was before. Emmet was sure he couldn’t have recovered that fast. He was moving around without any issues, as if he was never injured to begin with.

Something wasn’t adding up, and the more Emmet thought about it, the more concerned he became.

His clothes didn’t look familiar, and there was no way Rex could have gone out and gotten some new ones in his absence. 

In fact, thinking about it now, Emmet was sure that Rex never tied up his hair either. 

Even with the injuries he’d sustained on the night they first met, there wasn’t a scar on his face as prominent as the one he now saw.

This wasn’t good.

Even his  _ voice _ was off. It didn’t sound as deep and gravelly as it usually was.

The expression on his face felt rather… predatory as well.

Wait-- that reminded him of something. 

What was it that Rex said, not too long after they met, when he was still out of it-- ?

That’s right, now he remembered.

_ Did you... see someone else who looks like me… back there? _

Rex’s concerned voice echoed in his mind. He felt his heart begin to race. 

This was  _ bad _ .

If-- if this wasn’t Rex, then...  _ who the hell was it?  _

But it didn’t make any sense-- he responded to the name  _ Rex _ , as if it was him, no questions asked.

Was he just going crazy-- or was this really happening? They looked nearly identical-- how was it  _ possible?  _

If this was the mystery-doppelganger who put Rex in the state that he had found him in... then maybe he was still out to kill him, to find him, to finish the job--

He also reeked of blood and death.

Yet there was this feeling-- similar to the way he felt near Rex, but different-- it wasn’t the nice, warm feeling that he usually had. No, this was the opposite. He felt cold, and full of dread.

Emmet swallowed the lump in his throat. He needed to come up with an idea, some way to get out of this-- or, he needed to  _ run _ .

He tried his best to keep his cool, continuing to walk forward as if nothing was wrong. Instead of crossing the road and taking a right, he turned left at the next intersection, and felt his heart rate rise up even further. The man following him didn’t appear to suspect him so far, which filled him with some relief, but it wouldn’t last long.

Perhaps if he continued to walk in the wrong direction, he’d have enough time to come up with a better plan-- an  _ escape _ plan.

Emmet made another wrong turn, humming softly to himself as he usually did when he was out alone. It also helped him deal with how quiet it was-- the roads were empty of cars or people, not a soul left in sight. It further fueled his anxiety, knowing that no help was going to come his way if this guy decided to turn on him.

The echo of footsteps behind him kept him going, as he eyed out the next intersection, and tried his best to remember where he was. He wondered which direction he should go in next, but his constant thoughts and fears were overwhelming him, making him unable to process so many concerns at once.

“Where are we  _ going _ ?” The man behind him asked, slowing down his pace.

Emmet froze on the spot. He felt his mouth open, but words were failing him. He couldn’t think of a response. He was still trying to process the situation as it were-- his mind running into overdrive as he tried his best to not think about how terrified he was right now.

He was in danger. 

He needed to get out of here

Yet his feet remained frozen in place.

“You figured it out.  _ Smart _ ,” the doppelganger clicked his tongue. “I underestimated you.”

He listened in horror as the mysterious  _ clone _ spoke to him, still too scared to turn to meet his gaze. He was afraid of what he would see if he did.

“I mean-- I  _ was _ going to kill you straight away, get this over quickly and quietly, but--”

Emmet needed to do something,  _ anything-- _ and finding his body unresponsive as his mind continued to scream. 

“For a minute there, I was  _ sure  _ you were going to lead me to him.”

There, he knew it. He _ was  _ right. He may be drunk, but he wasn’t an  _ idiot _ .

He  _ was _ after Rex.

“Such a strange coincidence that he'd find you so easily,” the stranger said with a soft chuckle. “Tell me-- how  _ did  _ he do it?”

Emmet had no idea what he was talking about. He still couldn’t tell if this was reality. There was no way this guy could know who he was-- it just didn’t make any sense.

Shit, shit _ , shit-- _

He couldn’t stop himself as he turned his head, eyes wide and unblinking. He had hoped he’d merely imagined this other person. He’d hoped that this was all a bad dream. He hoped that he would wake up.

“The good news is-- you’re  _ not  _ crazy,” the man whispered beside him, as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Within the blink of an eye, Emmet found himself spun around, and slammed hard into the nearest wall. There was a hand on his throat, threatening to crush his windpipe. He could feel himself being lifted up, his feet kicking out as they desperately searched for something to balance on.

He was in shock-- unable to tear his eyes away from the other’s. 

All he could see was Rex.

All he could feel was his heart breaking.

_ Why did he have his face? _

Emmet’s hands were clawing at the one on his neck, using all his strength to try to breath again. He was beginning to get light-headed, as his struggles were in vain.

The doppelganger continued to stare at him with a terrifying grin, as he brought forward something in his other hand-- something _ sharp. _

A knife.

That was it-- if he wasn’t panicking already, he was now.

His consciousness was beginning to fail him-- his eyes fluttering, even with his constant attempts to keep them open.

“I was going to wait until later to kill you, considering how cute you are,” the man spoke, cocking his head to the side. “But I guess now will do  _ just fine _ .”

Where was Rex? Why wasn’t he here? Why was this creepy look-alike trying to kill him?

How did he get himself into this situation?

_ Was he really going to die!? _

Emmet didn’t have time to think or to doubt himself. He didn’t have time to hope to be rescued. He couldn’t rely on anyone but himself at this point. But he never thought that his strange, sudden superpowers would ever be of a benefit to him. 

That was it. Maybe that could work. It might just be his lucky day.

He took a chance, taking in as much air as he could, releasing his hands, and throwing a blind swing--

Suddenly he was free, and gasping for air.

Emmet watched as the man who was in front of him moments ago, now appeared a solid kilometre away from him, lying on the ground. It was hard to gauge at this distance, but he hoped he’d stay down, at least until Emmet could gain control over his shaking legs once more.

How could he have possibly forgotten-- he wasn’t as weak as he used to be. He was stronger. Faster. But he couldn’t help but continue to feel in danger-- this guy was armed, and  _ ridiculously _ strong as well.

Perhaps they were afflicted with the same strange abilities. He wasn’t going to stick around to find out.

The figure in the distance moved, now sitting up. Emmet took that as a sign to get the fuck out of there, he wasn’t going to risk getting killed by someone he’d just met.

As quickly as he could, he turned on his heels and ran in the opposite direction. The speeds he was going at were nearly too hard for him to comprehend, but it didn’t matter at this point. He needed to get home. He needed to get to safety.

No matter how far he ran, the feeling of death and dread lingered in his chest. He couldn’t explain it, or why it was there--

The one thing he knew for sure, was that he didn’t want to die tonight. 

Emmet took as many detours, twists and turns as possible-- he couldn’t risk being followed, but he also couldn’t risk waiting to find somewhere else to hide. The city was big, and there were enough sleazebags around to make his night even shittier than it already was. 

Still, it didn’t make any sense. That guy clearly knew Rex, and somehow even  _ looked _ like him-- but there was no possible way he could know Emmet.

Unless…

Were the two of them working together? 

No, that didn’t make any sense either-- he clearly wanted to kill Rex as well, but it still didn’t explain how he knew him. 

Emmet shook his head, too drunk and frightened to try to put any logic into the events that occurred tonight.

He was at his door within minutes, his hands were shaking, keys refusing to go in the lock. It felt like an eternity before he finally got it opened.

Emmet slammed the door closed behind him, hastily turning the lock once more. He found himself able to breathe again, continuing to stare at the door handle as if it may spring to life at any moment.

He didn’t avert his eyes as he backed away, step by step, as all sounds around him were drowned out by the drum of his heartbeat, echoing in his ears.

But then he realised--

Something was behind him. It stopped him in his path. He couldn’t walk any further.

He paused, feeling himself tense up again, as he slowly arched his head to view what was there--

Only to see that madman standing right there inside his home.

* * *

Rex startled violently at the sound Emmet made when they locked eyes. He was wondering where he’d been-- and why he wasn’t responding to him, and that was certainly  _ not _ the welcome he was expecting.

“Emmet, wait-- what’s wrong?” 

He sounded terrified, and was staring at Rex as if he was going to hurt him.

“Wait-- _ don’t _ \-- I’m  _ sorry! _ ” the younger man yelled, sounding hysterical. 

He covered his face with his arms, making himself as small as possible. He was pushed up in the corner of the room, just by the doorway.

Rex wasn’t sure what to say. He had no idea what the fuck was happening.

“Emmet--?” His voice was barely a whisper, finding himself glued to the spot.

“How did you get here-- I--” He kept pausing between words, breaking his sentences. He was so _scared_. 

What had he  _ done _ ?

“Woah,  _ hey-- _ calm down there kiddo. I haven’t left all day. You--”

Emmet collapsed to the ground as his legs gave out. Rex followed quickly kneeling down next to him and wondering what to do. He felt as if his words weren’t getting through to the other.

The younger man finally pulled his arms away from his face, but still didn’t meet Rex’s gaze.

“Is that really  _ you _ , Rex?” 

He noticed the stench of alcohol as he spoke. What had gotten into him? Why was he so scared of him?

“Are you--  _ drunk _ ?” he replied in disbelief, changing the subject unintentionally.

Again?  _ Already? _

Emmet finally looked at him, but the expression on his face appeared to be as if he’d seen a ghost.

“I  _ saw _ you.”

Rex could swear that time stood still in that moment, as those three words sunk in. That could only mean one thing. 

His worst nightmare was back.

“You-- I  _ thought _ it was you. He  _ said _ he was you. At least... I  _ think _ he did. But I noticed afterwards, he was--  _ different _ . What--”

Axel was finally back to finish the job he started.

Emmet’s hand levitated by his neck, and even in the limited light, Rex could see the beginnings of dark bruises forming.

“He... tried to kill me,” he breathed out softly, gritting his teeth.

Rex’s concern mixed with sudden anger at the thought of Axel so much as  _ touching  _ Emmet-- but why had he tried to hurt him in the first place? It didn’t make any sense--

He reached out a gentle, hesitant hand, as he placed it to the younger man's chin, and tried not to be upset when he tried to pull away from the touch. He could see the extent of the damage, not just on his skin, but the  _ trust-- _

Emmet didn’t see him anymore.

“Shit,” Rex spat, feeling completely useless. 

That  _ bastard _ . He was going to pay for this.

Emmet looked away, shutting his eyes, and pulling his scarf up around his neck. He sat there, without another word, wiping away the tears staining his cheeks.

There was a silence that hung awkwardly between them, as Rex desperately tried to think of a plan. All this time, he’d had plenty of days to spend contemplating what his next moves would be, when it came to Axel-- but this-- 

Emmet being involved was never part of the plan.

“I should have never helped you,” Emmet sobbed through sudden tears. “Why is this happening to  _ me _ \--?”

He was beginning to get hysterical, and Rex’s mind was racing so quickly he couldn’t comprehend what to do.

“ _ Shit _ , I’m sorry-- alright? I didn’t think--”

He didn’t think about _ what _ exactly? That they would be fine? That Axel wouldn’t return back here, to kill him, and everyone else he’d ever cared about?

“I was  _ sure _ I’d know if he was back again, I--”

He suddenly remembered the feeling he’d had last night, as they were talking on the couch.

How did he not realise that was a sign?

Rex was clearly not helping the situation, as much as he tried. Emmet wasn’t listening to him, his eyes wide, his breathing was heavy--

He was hyperventilating, on the verge of a panic attack.

Considering that Emmet was nearly killed due to Rex’s mere  _ existence _ , by a man who looked so similar to himself, no less-- Rex was sure that he was the last person Emmet would want comforting him.

But he had no clue what else to do.

“Hey-- It’s gonna be okay,” he spoke calmly, placing a gentle hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “I need you to calm down, just _breathe_\--”

Emmet’s hands shot out in front of him, grasping on to the front of Rex’s shirt. He was looking at him now, eyes full of fear and confusion, and he was sure it was reflected by his own expression.

Rex was at a loss for words, and didn’t know what else to do-- so he pulled Emmet close, holding him in a warm embrace. The younger man felt tense, but he appeared to relax slightly by the gesture, which he was thankful for.

Something still didn’t add up. How did Axel know that Emmet was part of this? There was no way, unless--

Rex pulled back, coming to a slow realisation.

“You... thought he was me, didn’t you? You called him by my name, when you saw him.”

Emmet simply nodded, biting his lip as he stared at the ground.

Shit.

_ That’s  _ how he knew. Axel must have tried to use Emmet to track him down.

In a way, it was a good thing for Rex-- it must have somehow given Emmet a chance to escape. There was no other explanation for it. Absolutely no one had  _ ever  _ escaped from Axel alive, as far as they were aware, _ unless _ \--

Unless he let Emmet get away on purpose, so that he could track him back to--

Rex pulled back suddenly, realising that they may not be safe just yet.

“Look, I know this situation is weird and I haven’t made much sense, but--” He quickly scanned their surroundings again, listening intently to the sounds outside. “He’s after  _ me _ , not you-- but it looks like you’re part of this now, so I can’t risk leaving you here.”

Emmet’s terror had transformed into frustration and anger, he could see it in his eyes, now that he was finally looking at him.

“But-- I don’t  _ want _ to be part of this-- whatever  _ this _ is-- I was just trying to be a good person, and--”

Rex didn’t have time to argue right now. They needed to leave-- and go somewhere,  _ anywhere _ \-- far away from here, before they could even  _ think  _ about resting.

“And I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me,” he interrupted. “But if you stay here, and I leave, you’ll--”

The words remained on the tip of his tongue, refusing to leave.

A silence fell between them.

Rex couldn’t let him die. He’s innocent. He’d done nothing but help him since he’d first arrived, on that fateful night. Words couldn’t describe how grateful he was.

“I’ll  _ what? _ ” Emmet questioned, backing up against the door, using it to slowly get back to his feet.

Rex tore his eyes away from him, turning himself around. They’d be here all night if they kept talking. Emmet had clearly gone through enough tonight. For one thing, he was thankful he was here. Alive.

But they needed to get moving.

Rex made haste to the bedroom, packing a few bare essentials into whatever bag he could find-- they just needed enough for a night or two. He was sure by then, he’d have contained Axel and be on his way back home.

He returned to the kitchen, scanning around the room for anything else they might need on the way out. He paused, taking a detour to the bathroom, and grabbing the recently restocked med kit. 

Rex knew that Axel wouldn’t go down without a fight. He was sure he’d sustain more injuries before this was over. He couldn’t be too careful.

He returned to the front door, finding Emmet still frozen in place.

“We need to go--  _ now _ . I’ll explain everything on the way, but we need to hurry.”

He was out of ideas. He was out of time. He needed Emmet to trust him right now-- or at least trust him long enough for them to get out of this mess.

The younger man nodded, appearing positively exhausted.

Rex placed a gentle hand on his back, helping him out the door, while giving one final look at the place. He’d never expected it to end like this, and certainly not so abruptly. But a card had been dealt, and now they had to deal with the consequences.

They needed to survive.

* * *

Rex didn’t realise until _ after  _ they’d left the house that Emmet didn’t have his own car. It was something he’d known since they first met, yet it never crossed his mind that they might need something to use in a quick getaway.

Emmet was rather upset with him when he’d broken into one of his neighbour’s cars. Rex kept reassuring him that he was a cop, and that he’d have it all sorted later-- but he could tell the younger man wasn’t believing a word he said.

A trust had been broken, and Rex wasn’t sure he’d ever gain it back again. 

The two of them drove for hours. He wasn’t sure what direction they were heading in, so long as it was far away from where they came from.

Rex could feel his eyes growing heavy, as his body began to fight him for the right to sleep. He couldn’t, not yet-- there was still a fair way until they reached the next motel. He needed to hang out long enough to get there safely.

He glanced to the passenger seat, finding Emmet asleep and snoring softly beside him. He managed to look even younger than he was, when he was like this-- if that were even possible.

Rex found it hard to look away from him. After the thought of losing him, suddenly Rex found his own feelings beginning to fight his self control and his habit of making decisions with as little emotional involvement as possible.

But this was different. This was  _ Emmet _ .

When did these feelings appear, he wondered. It wasn’t as if he was an expert when it came to relationships, even when it came to being  _ friends _ with someone. He still had no idea how Daniel put up with his shit, let alone this kid--

This adorable, selfless human being who saved him from death’s door, and gave him a second chance.

And how did Rex repay him?

By nearly getting him  _ killed _ in return, and most likely, destroying his life for good.

Rex shook his head, the thoughts and feelings beginning to become too hard for him to contain. He hadn’t felt these types of emotions for  _ years _ . He’d nearly forgotten what it was like to care for someone, to  _ love _ \--

Wait-- hold on-- was  _ that  _ was this feeling was--?

He couldn’t be sure, and if it  _ was _ , he couldn’t let it be known. 

Even if his feelings were mutual, it would never work-- they were from different universes. It was his responsibility to maintain balance. There was  _ no way  _ they could both exist in the same place, without them being found out, or worse--

But how did  _ Emmet _ feel? 

He probably hated him at this point. He was sure he wanted nothing to do with him anymore. It would be best if Rex got out of his life as soon as possible, but he needed a way to deal with Axel without harm coming to Emmet, or his place in this universe.

Rex could try to give him that, at least.

As soon as he was sure Emmet was safe, he could leave.

That was his main focus right now. He needed to protect Emmet, but neither of them were going to be able to live without fear, as long as Axel was still out there.

He could be anywhere by now, but he was sure they’d meet again soon enough.

As the gas began to run dry, Rex pulled into the next motel he saw, leaving Emmet in the car while he made a booking. Thankfully, they had a single spare room left. His luck might just be turning around after all.

Keys in hand, he went back to the car to wake his companion, but found him in a ridiculously deep sleep. It was reassuring, in a way-- if Emmet were awake right now, after everything that had happened today, he was sure he’d have a million questions for him. He couldn’t deal with that right now.

Using his ridiculous strength, Rex pulled the younger man from the car, cradling him in his arms as he went to their room. As it was the last one available, it was a rather small, and crappy looking room-- with a single bed, no less. But that didn’t matter right now. He didn’t need to sleep-- there was no way he could, knowing that Axel was coming for him.

He laid Emmet down on the bed, pulling a blanket over him and taking an extra moment to look at him in the dim light. As he stared at his soft, sleeping face, Rex couldn’t deny the way he felt any longer.

Which only further fueled the anger he felt for himself.

How did he fuck this up so badly? Why didn’t he leave Emmet as soon as he could, for his own protection? Rex had let himself become too close-- too  _ comfortable _ . He let himself fall for someone, and it was going to be the end of him.

Of  _ both _ of them.

He pulled himself away from his companion, returning to the window by the door. The blinds were down, so he leaned on the wall, pulling back the edge just enough for him to peek through. He’d be fine without rest, and he knew that even if he tried to sleep, he wouldn’t be able to rest long enough for it to be worth it.

One of them needed to keep guard, in case Axel returned-- which he most certainly would--  _ eventually.  _

It didn’t matter where Rex and Emmet went at this point. They just had to get distance, for the time being. Until Rex could figure out a plan. If Axel had indeed returned to this particular dimension, then did that mean that Rex was finally the last one left? 

No… it couldn’t be…

But it was the only explanation. Rex had felt himself becoming stronger with each passing day-- he’d been healing faster, and not to a natural degree. The only comforting thought was that it meant Rex and Axel’s powers were now equal.

Only the two of them remained.

If he was going to face off against Axel soon, then he hoped Daniel couldn’t be too far behind. He knew his partner well, and he knew he’d never give up on the chase for justice--

But he needed to be alive. Rex needed to protect him, even if he insisted that he could protect himself. It was different, though-- Daniel had a husband,  _ kids _ \-- and Rex couldn’t let them experience the same loss that he had succumbed to all those years ago.

It was his duty to keep people safe.

They’d all make it out of this alive.

* * *

Axel wiped the blood from his cheek, chuckling softly to himself as he felt the metallic taste in his mouth.

That was one  _ hell _ of a punch-- it had almost startled him. Emmet had looked so small and frail in his grasp, that he was  _ sure _ he’d never put up a fight.

But that wasn’t the most interesting thing about the whole situation.

The fact that the last one of his incarnations-- who was certainly the least threatening of any of them-- managed to put him in the ground, was quite a nice change of pace.

He might have gotten away for now, but he wouldn’t get far.

Following his trail had been easy enough. He’d become so used to the feeling of his other selves, that it was almost as if he could see them from afar. He’d simply concentrate on that feeling, and his feet would show him the way.

Axel found the door of the apartment slightly ajar when he arrived. It was dark and quiet inside. No signs of life.

He wasn’t surprised. He was sure that Emmet would have been quick to run, after their rather intriguing encounter. He’d probably only dropped by to pick up some essentials, and get as far away as he possibly could.

Axel  _ did _ love it when they ran. The thrill of the chase as he hunted down his last prey was going to be quite enjoyable indeed.

He let himself inside, flicking on the light switch and interrogating the area. The place was small, and a mess at that. It certainly looked as if two people could have been living here in rather  _ close  _ proximity.

Which was a most curious thought, as he found only one bedroom, with a single bed at that. How…  _ cozy _ . The two of them must have gotten rather close in his absence.

Axel picked up the clothes from a pile on the floor, finding a rather Rex-sized outfit. Just his luck, he needed an upgrade, and by the looks of it-- they had rather similar tastes in clothing.

And what would you know-- they fitted  _ perfectly _ .

With a fresh set of clothes, he moved to the bathroom, finally getting a good look at himself after his last few weeks on the run.

He’d  _ definitely _ seen better days, and he looked positively dreadful at the moment. He’d barely taken any time to rest or sleep, knowing just how close he was getting to his goal. His face in the mirror reflected that-- large dark bags under his eyes, stubble that had evolved into more of a beard, and his hair was getting ridiculously long.

Axel opened the cupboard underneath the sink, quickly acquiring a pair of scissors. He turned his head to the side, taking one last good look at his ponytail, before he sliced it off in a single cut. His hair fell to the sides of his face, and it was a rather fitting look for him, if he could say so himself.

He took another few minutes to wash the blood stains from his skin, finding even  _ more _ blood on him the further he looked. A quick trim to his beard followed afterwards, and all in all, he looked far more presentable for his upcoming encounter.

If Axel didn’t look like Rex before, he most certainly did  _ now. _

Considering his heightened strength and ability to run at high speeds, it wasn’t as if those two were going to get very far. 

Axel chuckled to himself. 

He couldn’t  _ wait _ to track down Rex, and finally fight it out-- until only one of them remained.

It was going to be  _ glorious. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading another long installment of this fic!
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone who's written stories/drawn art inspired by this fic, it means so much to me, you have no idea <3 Thank you so much~!
> 
> If you like, please let me know what you think of the story so far :) I love feedback! And nothing is more motivating to me than hearing what you guys think :3c
> 
> (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


	5. Hades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay, thanks for staying here for this long. Sorry if this comes off a little rushed, I just really want to finish the main plot of the story because I know what it's like to wait forever for a conclusion to a fic (or never get one at all).  
This chapter wraps up the story! Hope you enjoy.  
Stay tuned for an (eventual) short epilogue.

Emmet blinked blearily from sleep, finding himself alone on a bed and a room he didn’t recognise. He panicked briefly, sitting upright and taking a moment to recall the past day. He paused for a moment, thinking about their abrupt and rushed conversation from earlier. Rex promised he’d explain what was happening, but from the looks of things... they really _ were _ in danger.

He startled when he realised he wasn’t alone, eyes barely adjusting to the darkness. Rex was standing by the window, hand holding the curtain open just enough for a small slither of light to illuminate him from the nearby streetlights.

It was a curious sight.

“What are you doing?” Emmet asked, his question turning into a yawn.

Rex flinched, turning to face him, perhaps a little too quickly. He didn’t mean to startle him, and he clearly looked well overdue for some sleep.

“Keeping an eye out,” he replied, clearing his throat awkwardly. 

After a moment, he went back to what he was doing, ending the conversation before it began. Rex needed to rest; any sane man could see that. Now that he was awake, Emmet wasn’t sure if he could calm his nerves enough to fall asleep again.

Instead, Emmet slipped out from beneath the sheets, stretching out his back briefly, before walking over to the television. It was still the middle of the night, barely a few minutes after two o’clock, but he had nothing better to do, and was feeling like a man of few words.

As the screen flickered to life, Emmet was greeted by a special news report, piquing his curiosity, as he saw something familiar. Rex looked over with intrigue, deciding to leave his post by the window to join him.

“Isn’t that where you work?” Rex queried, standing behind the couch.

Emmet’s eyes continued to flick around the screen, his brow furrowed. He wasn’t  _ entirely _ sure what was happening, or why his workplace was  _ breaking news _ , but he knew it couldn’t be a good thing.

“Yeah…” he replied absent mindedly, too focused to speak properly. He reached for the remote, turning up the volume enough to better determine what was happening.

_ “At least thirty officers and bystanders are dead--”  _ the news reporter spoke. _ “...in a freak mass homicide, that took place at--” _

Emmet’s eyes were completely wide and unblinking-- he couldn’t look away as the carnage appeared on screen. He flinched as a sketch of the suspect flashed on screen, showing the man who had been out to kill him. He was so similar in appearance to Rex-- it was uncanny. But he still couldn’t help the fear that shot through him at the sight.

“Oh shit,” Rex scrambled, reaching for the remote and turning off the television. “Fuck--” 

So that’s how he figured it out. That’s how he knew about Emmet. That’s how he tracked them down.

Before he even realised it, Emmet’s feet had taken him across to the other side of the room, back flat against the wall. Rex turned to look at him with a hurt expression; but he’d had enough of these games. Emmet needed to understand why this was happening-- and why some crazed man - _ who just so happened to look like the man in front of him _ \- was out to kill him, and everyone he knew.

“You’re going to tell me what the _ fuck _ is happening right now or else--”

“Hey--” Rex spoke calmly, a hand raised in front of him. “It’s okay--”

“This is not an  _ okay _ situation--” Emmet yelled, startling the older man and cutting him off. “None of this makes any sense! Ever since I met you, my life has been nothing but a disaster, and now _ this _ \--”

He shut his mouth in frustration, ending his rant. His hands balled into fists, shaking by his sides. He hated feeling this way. 

Rex stood rigidly in front of him, silently staring with a look of sorrow. Emmet knew he wasn’t saying anything that the other man didn’t already know, but he was sick of this feeling-- on one hand, he had feelings for Rex, and didn’t want him to leave-- but on the other, all Emmet knew was that he was more dangerous than he seemed.

The older man sighed, moving to the bed, and sitting on the end. He looked up at Emmet, patting the space next to him, inviting him to join.

“I’ll tell you everything.”

* * *

This conversation was inevitable, but it didn’t stop Rex from being unbearably nervous and lost for words. Where would he even  _ start? _ How could he explain this entire situation, without turning into a confusing, rambling mess?

The best he could do was to start from the beginning, and hope he didn’t completely freak Emmet out by the end. Regardless of the outcome, he wouldn’t be surprised if the other man never wanted to speak to him again once this was over.

“I’m... not from around here,” Rex started. “It’s... _ complicated _ .”

“So you say,” Emmet replied, an eyebrow raised. “You better not be lying this time.”

“I’ve never  _ lied  _ to you… I’ve just not told you the  _ entire _ truth about my situation.”

“Right… so, what-- you actually have an _ evil twin _ ? Seriously?”

“No, that’s not it. We’re not related in the traditional sense.” Rex shook his head, taking a deep breath. “I’m from... a different universe. Different from this one… and so is the other guy.”

Emmet stared blankly. “I-- I don’t understand.”

“I wasn’t kidding when I said it was complicated,” Rex reiterated, getting up from his seat. He paced the room briefly, pinching his brow, before stopping a few paces in front of Emmet. “There’s not a singular universe-- there’s an entire  _ multiverse. _ There are these…  _ bridges _ , that can be created to allow you to cross between them. Of course, it’s restricted and policed by people like me. I  _ am _ a cop, just not in the way you know them to be.”

Emmet simply nodded; gears turning in his head. If he had any questions, he’d have to make a note of them all from the end of whatever ridiculous speech this was going to turn into.

“There’s a  _ you _ in each of these universes-- and there’s this  _ energy _ that connects us to the other versions of ourselves. That’s how I can feel when he’s nearby.”

“Right…” Emmet made a face, considering his next question. “So this guy... he’s another version of you? That’s why you look similar too?”

Rex nodded. “He’s me, but… from a universe where I’m a _ very _ different person. As you can tell-- he hasn’t made it a secret that he’s completely insane.”

“But, if he’s you, then why would he want to _ kill _ you?” He cocked his head to the side. “What sense does that make?”

“If my suspicions are correct…” Rex trailed off, rubbing his chin. “Some people think you’d become a god if you kill your other selves. You share the life energy between yourself across the multiverse, so each time you die in one, the life energy is transferred equally between the remainders. Therefore, the only person who stands a chance against him is me, as our power will be matched.”

Emmet was becoming more concerned by the minute. “So... what-- he’s trying to become immortal? That’s why he’s after you?”

“Probably.” Rex sat back down, completely exhausted. “Look, I never thought to stop to ask. I have a feeling that he’s been saving me for last, which means, if he’s here… then he must have killed all the others by now.”

“You say ‘the others’… but how many is that?”

Rex’s expression changed to something grim, and Emmet was beginning to regret his choice of questions so far.

“From what we’re aware of, there are one hundred and twenty five different universes at this point. That would make… quite a few are dead I’d say.”

Shit. This was  _ bad _ . 

“This other version of you... who even is he,  _ really _ ?” Emmet could hear his voice getting louder, panic overtaking him. “What made him want to do all this?” 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Rex replied nonchalantly. “One thing I know for sure is that he’s  _ completely snapped _ . There’s no way someone with any ounce of sanity could do what he’s done.”

Emmet leaned forward, head in his hands. This was all so much to take in at once, he could hardly believe what Rex was saying-- but at this point, he had nothing to lose by lying. If anything, what he was saying made sense when he connected the dots of their last few weeks together.

“I’ve done my fair share of travelling to different universes. From what I can tell, you’re very different in each one. At first, I assumed you looked identical to your other selves, but it appears the laws are different depending on where you are-- you could be a different age, gender-- the only thing linking you together is your base genetic makeup, connecting you between the universes. Your life force. Some people say you even share the same eyes.”

The thought was unnerving, causing him to shiver involuntarily. 

“Okay, so-- he looks like you, because you both share a soul,  _ and _ he’s here to kill you,” Emmet stated, biting his lip. “But... if it comes down to it, how can you stop him without the same thing happening to you? The ‘ _ becoming a god’  _ part?”

“I won’t let that happen,” Rex replied, voice full of newfound determination. “I can’t kill him-- I’ll restrain him, take him back to my universe and make sure he goes somewhere where he’ll never be able to escape or die. At least until more people are born sharing our soul.”

Emmet sighed, rubbing his head to take it all in. “But what about you?” 

Rex blinked, seemingly lost by the question. “ _ What _ about me?”

This idiot-- why did he love him so much? How could he not see what it meant for him? He couldn’t let this happen to him--

“If it gets to that, you won’t be able to die either,” Emmet reiterated. “Wouldn’t they have to lock  _ you  _ up somewhere as well, to ensure nothing happens to you...?”

Rex’s brow furrowed. “Probably,” he shrugged. “It’s not really my choice anymore.”

“But you didn’t want any of this!” Emmet was filled with sudden rage, jumping to his feet. “How can you accept a life like that after something one of your other selves has done-- something completely out of your control?”

Rex let out a deep breath, exacerbated by the onslaught of questions. “Emmet--”

He stopped mid-sentence, eyes going wide. The all-too familiar shiver running up his spine alerted him to imminent danger. He was up on his feet in an instant, standing protectively in front of the younger man.

Emmet had seen that look before. He knew exactly what it meant.

* * *

The door was kicked open, crashing into the wall with a thud, raining splinters across the ground. Rex stared at the man before him, seeing his soul reflected in those dark, unsettling eyes. He didn’t make a move to come in at first, instead choosing to shoot Rex a wicked grin, eyeing him up and down.

“Ridiculous of you to try to  _ run _ .” Axel took a step inside, shoulders tense and ready for conflict. “You know I will find you wherever you go.”

Rex stepped backward cautiously, taking a better look at the maniac before him. Axel had completely changed his hair and clothing-- his resemblance to Rex was almost uncanny now. It was sickening seeing himself in the eyes of a mad man, and a murderer no less. It was the last thing Rex wanted associated with himself.

“Then let’s take this outside,” he replied, practically hiding Emmet behind him. He needed to weaken Axel in the most non-lethal way possible-- at least for long enough to detain him.

Axel looked at him curiously. “I’m not here for  _ you _ ,” he grinned, like a predator looking at his next prey. He raised his knifed hand, pointing in Emmet’s direction. “I’m here for  _ him _ .”

“No,” Rex stepped forward into a defensive stance, blocking Axel’s view completely. “He doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

Axel laughed suddenly, causing Rex to startle in surprise. Whatever the joke was, he clearly wasn’t in on it. There was a chance that he might just be insane enough to consider killing  _ all _ witnesses, including Emmet-- and it was a chance Rex couldn’t take lightly.

“Oh, this is too good to be true!” Axel managed to get his laughter under control, wiping away a tear. “You  _ still _ haven’t figured it out--” 

Within the blink of an eye, Axel had his hands twisted in Rex’s shirt, granting him a quick, brief smirk before throwing him out the door. The force of his strength sent Rex tumbling all the way out to the parking lot, landing gracelessly upon one of the cars.

Emmet was frozen in fear; his only means of safety and protection now far from reach. The intense emerald eyes closed in on him, as he was approached with deadly intention. He found himself backed against a wall, unable to blink or tear his eyes away.

“He doesn’t even realise how special you are,” Axel cooed, a hand on the younger man’s chin. “Isn’t that  _ sad _ ?” 

Emmet tried in vain to pull away, the hand now around his throat, feeling it tighten as his feet lifted from the ground. 

“You managed to land  _ quite _ the punch on me,” Axel stated, gesturing to his bruised cheek. “I  _ do  _ enjoy when my prey fights back. But... do you still have it in you?”

He had to do something to break free-- and he couldn’t rely on Rex to save him this time. He finally pulled back a hand, balling it into a fist, and swinging it towards--

Both of Emmet’s hands were caught in an iron grip, as he was pulled from the wall, flipped, and slammed back into it. He let out a gasp of pain, feeling all strength leave him. The following sound of a blade unsheathing snapped him back to reality.

“I’m not falling for that again,” Axel breathed into his ear, feeling a blade now digging into his back. “I can see why Rex likes you so much, why he wants to keep you all to himself…”

Just as Emmet was about to protest, Axel had disappeared across the room, cracking the window with intense force, before landing on the ground. Rex was back-- helping Emmet to his feet, slew of concerned questions filling the air, before they both turned to face their attacker.

“You son of a bitch--” Rex cursed. “Keep your hands off him!”

Axel was up on his feet in no time; Rex’s previous attempts to weaken him appearing to have little to no effect. They’d need to think fast, before anyone else was hurt in the crossfire. 

Rex was on him again in an instant, placing his hands into Axel’s shirt, and using his heightened strength to throw him out the door. He slid against the pavement, hands digging into the ground to slow his momentum, before jumping into the air and landing on his feet like some kind of wild animal. Rex ran after him on instinct, against Emmet’s continuing protests from behind him. 

They needed to take this fight outside, out into the open; and perhaps it would give Rex a chance to figure a safe way out of this. As their conflict continued, it wasn’t long before nearly everything in sight was damaged, car alarms echoing throughout the parking lot, and police sirens emerging from the distance. 

Rex stared at Axel, letting out heavy breaths, attempting to hold himself up as best he could. He was exhausted, and he wasn’t entirely sure how much longer he could hold him back. To his surprise, something in the other man appeared to shift. He stood up straight, staring at Rex with his signature glare.

“Well-- this was fun. I’ll take me leave. For now.” Axel smirked, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. “You’ll know where to find me.” He waved a dismissive hand as he began walking away, leaving Rex stunned, but not before adding a final comment, “You and the  _ Alterum. _ ” 

Within the blink of an eye, he was gone-- leaving Rex to finally collapse to his knees, but not before becoming completely confused by his words. What the fuck was he talking about?  _ Alterum-- _ what did his other selves have to do with anything? They were dead. Axel knew that, and so did he.

He shook his head, using a hand on his knee to get back to his feet. Staring back at their partly destroyed motel room, he saw Emmet standing by the door, appearing just as exhausted as he was, and equally terrified of what was yet to come.

Rex still couldn’t wrap his head around it-- why was Axel after Emmet? What did he want from him? What could he  _ possibly _ gain from killing him?

He wasn’t going to wait long enough to ask questions. If Axel was out to hurt Emmet, then he’d do everything in his power to protect him. He wasn’t going to let  _ anything _ happen to Emmet, even if it meant he’d have to risk his own life to protect him.

“We’d better get moving,” Rex started, placing a hand on Emmet’s shoulder, and guiding him back into the room. “If we stay here any longer, I’m sure the authorities will get involved. We’d be wise not to stay too long in one place.”

* * *

Emmet had enough time for a quick shower before they needed to leave, and for that, he was thankful. He still felt like the two of them were sitting ducks; staying in a place that was already known by their enemy. Still, the sooner they left, the sooner they could get this over with-- whatever their next plan was, Emmet wasn’t entirely sure.

His mind wandered back to Rex, and how much their relationship had been changing, current circumstances be damned. He may have the face of a man out to kill him, but that didn’t stop the way Emmet’s heart would race when Rex spoke to him, or when he’d smile, or place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It didn’t stop his eyes from staring at Rex with unsaid desires, tracing the contours of his body whenever he’d be granted the opportunity. 

Emmet shook his head; it wasn’t time for such thoughts. But he still didn’t want this to end-- or for either of them to die.

All of his emotions were becoming conflicted, a mixture of fear and love clouding his better judgement. This entire situation was dangerous, and even if this ended peacefully-- even if they managed to both get out alive-- what would be left for them? Rex would have to return to his dimension, and Emmet had no idea where that left him.

The only feeling Emmet was sure of was his love for the other man. Whether or not it was reciprocated, he’d probably never know. Even if it was-- there was no way for them to be together-- not after all they’d been through. He was kidding himself at this point.

Emmet stared at his sorry reflection in the mirror, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked quite this shitty; even after working double-shifts, he’d still be able to recognise himself in the mirror.

But this-- being on the run from an uncertain fate, from a possible demise-- it was all beginning to catch up with him. He could feel himself losing hope, and giving up-- but he had to try as hard as he could to push forward. If not for himself, then for Rex.

It was only now that he realised that he’d forgotten something rather important.

“Shit,” Emmet cursed, noting he’d left all of his belongings in the car. “Just  _ great _ .”

Standing by the door, his wet hair continued to drip everywhere, causing him to shiver. His hand was hovering by the handle, as he considered his next words. He’d need to ask Rex to get his things-- and he hoped this would be anything but awkward.

He couldn’t help but feel that this would just be another encounter today that would not go to plan.

* * *

It took Rex a moment to realise that Emmet had been calling his name. It wasn’t until he felt the warmth of the other man mere inches from him that he finally snapped out of it. Emmet was completely drenched in water, eyes averted, gripping a white towel protectively around his middle. He looked  _ adorable _ … and uncomfortably vulnerable.

Once he understood Emmet’s current predicament, Rex returned hastily with their clothes, also taking the opportunity to change into something fresh. The younger man disappeared into the bathroom once more, which was nothing new-- Rex always took him to be rather bashful when it came to that sort of thing.

Hearing the door open once more, Rex looked up, turning to Emmet with a question on his lips. 

Whatever it was that he was about to say was all but forgotten, dying in his throat. Emmet was standing in the doorway, towelling at his wet hair, wearing a shirt that was clearly a few sizes too big for him.

Reality came crashing down upon the sight, and Rex finally came to terms with his feelings in that moment. He cared for Emmet far more than he could admit. Now he finally understood just how deep his affection was towards the younger man.

Before Rex realised what he was doing, he’d crossed the room, staring deeply into Emmet’s emerald eyes. Words were lost to him, finding his hand reaching up slowly, gently cupping Emmet’s cheek without any resistance. Rex wanted to look at him with endearment, but all he felt was guilt and sadness for what their future might entail-- caused by his own faults and lack of judgement. 

Emmet placed a hand over his, nearly causing him to flinch. “It’s not your fault,” he said, letting out a deep sigh. “About this… whole mess of a situation we’re in.”

Rex licked his lips, feeling his mouth go dry. He wanted to say something-- but he had so many thoughts and feelings that wanted to spill out at once-- where could he start? 

“I don’t regret saving you in that alleyway. I know I said some things earlier, when I was upset, but--” Emmet looked away with a pause, almost wincing. His eyes continued to linger on a spot on the floor. “I... wouldn’t change what I did that day.”

With the current situation considered, there was a high chance that they wouldn’t see each other again after tonight. Rex might die. This may just be their last night together.

There was no sense in keeping this to himself anymore. He had nothing left to lose.

“Are you okay?” Rex asked softly, brushing away a wet strand of hair from Emmet’s eyes, hand lingering by his cheek again. 

He looked so  _ young _ . This wasn’t the type of life he deserved. 

Emmet averted his eyes. “Y-yeah,” he replied with a stutter, leaning into the touch. “I’m fine.”

Rex had dropped so much on Emmet in such a short amount of time. He even had the same face as a killer, yet Emmet still allowed him to be this close. Rex swallowed, completely enthralled by his younger companion. Even after everything that had happened, even with their lives both in danger-- Rex couldn’t give him up. 

He couldn’t shake this feeling that they had a connection-- like nothing he’d ever felt before.

“Tell me I’m not crazy,” Rex whispered, licking his lips. “Tell me you feel it too.”

It seemed ironic, after everything they’d been through in the last few hours. He was beginning to sound insane. But he couldn’t deny his feelings, and the constant, _ intense  _ sensation that would always pull him towards the younger man.

Emmet finally met his eyes, mirroring his concern and uncertainty. His mouth opened slightly, but he didn’t respond. Rex’s eyes flickered to his lips, staring at them with a longing unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Against his better judgement, Rex found himself unable to stop as he leaned down to close the distance between them.

* * *

Emmet didn’t mean to panic, but he reacted too quickly to stop himself.

He cared for Rex, and the idea that his feelings were reciprocated filled him with unimaginable bliss-- but unfortunately, he’d become so wrapped up with their current predicament, that he’d all but forgotten about the strange super-human abilities he’d recently developed. 

The same abilities that had caused him nothing but trouble-- which had happened yet again thanks to his complacency. 

Emmet had managed to push Rex back with such force that he’d been thrown across the room by mistake, shocking the both of them rather abruptly. He began mumbling a never-ending apology, trying to explain his strange new powers and other changes he’d been experiencing lately. Rex wasn’t listening-- he was still trying to comprehend was this all meant to him.

He was just--  _ surprised _ , is all. He didn’t mean it.

Then Rex had crossed the room before the younger man could protest, cornering him against the wall, expression determined. Emmet was clearly intimidated by his actions, full of fear and confusion and unfinished excuses.

Rex did nothing more than stare into his eyes, saying nothing in the silence, and watching as his own soul reflected back at him. He finally pulled away, hands running through his hair, shock setting in. Now he understood. It was as if all the pieces that had been out of place now suddenly fit; and it all made sense. His attraction to Emmet, and Axel’s interest in his life--

“ _ Alterum _ ,” he muttered to himself, mind flashing back to the words when Axel had last spoken.

“W-what?” Emmet asked, sinking to the floor. “What does that mean?”

“The other one. The same soul. A part of  _ me _ \--” Rex’s eyes went wide at the realisation. “He’s after  _ you _ .”

Emmet stood completely still, like a deer in headlights. “But-- that doesn’t make any sense, what have  _ I _ done--”

“You are the same as us. The life linked to me and him, in this dimension-- that’s why he’s here to kill you. You’re the last one, Em.”

“But--” Emmet was beginning to shake, as he finally realised the extent of the danger he was in. “I--”

“How did I not see it?” Rex mumbled. “The signs were  _ right there _ \--”

Emmet wanted to protest, but the older man was no longer paying attention, and his own words were getting caught in his throat. He felt his breathing stop altogether, as he struggled to suppress the panic attack looming over him. A warm hand on his arm snapped him back to reality, his eyes meeting a matching set that mirrored his concerns.

Rex didn’t speak, instead bringing him into a warm embrace, hand running down his back in an attempt to calm him down. Emmet couldn’t think anymore-- melting to the touch, feeling his strength threaten to leave him completely. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

Axel was here because they were now the only three left. As he’d originally said, he was planning on leaving Rex for last. 

Fuck-- how could he be this stupid not to see it sooner? 

He and Emmet were drawn to each other. They could feel each other’s presence. But… it just didn’t add up. Rex knew he could feel Axel nearby. It was the same feeling you get when someone walked over your grave. A feeling of angst and dread. Of incoming death.

But with Emmet-- it was the _ opposite.  _ It was as if he felt pure love, and happiness-- as if he was lying in a field of flowers, on a calm spring day. 

Rex shook his head. What was wrong with him? 

He held onto Emmet closely, finally coming to terms with what was to come. He’d now found a new purpose. He’d found the person he wanted to protect-- who he _ needed _ to protect-- and he’d do so with his life.

“I won't let anything happen to you,” Rex reassured, trying his hardest to sound confident in his words. “I promise.”

He felt Emmet’s hands digging into his shirt, holding on to him tightly. “Rex…” he mumbled, voice breaking. “I--”

A knock at the door startled them both, instantly tensing at the sound. Rex was back on high alert, eyes moving to the door in alarm, hiding Emmet behind him on instinct. The door handle continued to rattle, so Rex dashed across the room as quietly as possible, flicking off the lights and staying low. He silently gestured for Emmet to hide, as he creeped to the door to meet their assailant. 

For a moment, he was afraid that Axel had returned already-- but in a way, that wouldn’t make any sense. He wasn’t the type of person to have the courtesy to knock. He’d let himself in, as he did so before.

Rex wasn’t entirely sure the notion made him feel better or worse about the situation.

As soon as the door creaked open, Rex was pulling the intruder inside, making his best attempt to subdue them in the dark. After a mild, confusing scuffle-- Rex finally got a good look at the other man-- and could barely believe his eyes.

“Danny-boy?” He clearly cringed at the name, but relaxed slightly at the force of Rex’s following embrace. “You son of a bitch!”

“See you haven’t changed much since we last saw each other, Dangervest.” He’s got a little smirk on his face, eventually pulling back with slight distaste. “Okay, that’s enough _ touching _ \--”

“It’s about time you made it here.” Rex slapped his shoulder. 

“Save the pleasantries. We need to go.”

“Not yet. I need more time to--”

“We don’t have time.” Dan pulled back his sleeve, checking his watch. “The next wormhole will approach in less than three hours, and is quite far from here. We’ll need to move now, before--”

He looked up, noticing Emmet peeking out from the next room, and staring at him cautiously.

Rex followed his eyes. “He saved me. I’d probably be dead if it wasn’t for him. Not only that, he’s--”

“Brickowski,” Dan stated in acknowledgement. “I don’t know how you did it, but I’m glad you found him in time. At least we know where you both are.” A dreadful expression overtook him. “We have confirmed that Drake has successfully killed all other iterations of yourself. The situation is becoming more dire by the minute.”

“I can’t believe it.” Rex cursed under his breath. “If I wasn’t stuck in such a technologically deficient universe, then maybe--”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Dan placed a hand on his shoulder, staring at him intently. “What matters is stopping him, and keeping this one safe. I’ll give you time to get ready. We’re leaving in five.”

After Dan ran out, Rex closed the door to their room, taking in a deep breath. His mind had turned to noise, thousands of possible scenarios and outcomes flashing before him. He shook his head, running a hand down his face. This wasn’t going to get him anywhere.

There was still a chance that Emmet could survive this, and live here without him. Rex needed to make that a reality, because this situation wasn’t about Rex any longer-- it was about Emmet. 

He needed to be safe. He needed to be happy. He needed to live a normal life.

It didn’t matter what it cost Rex.

* * *

Emmet slipped into the back seat of the car, leaning against the window, a cold breeze causing him to shiver. It was still the middle of the night, and he hoped that he could find some rest prior to their arrival at… wherever it was they were headed.

He hadn’t even realised he’d dozed off, until he felt the vibrations of the car, and the low hum of the radio. The other two men were in the front end of the vehicle, casually chatting between themselves.

“Saw your husband the other day,” Rex chuckled, glancing at his partner. “He’s a waiter here. Young, too.”

Emmet was completely lost by the conversation he was suddenly eavesdropping on. Did he hear that right?  _ Husband? _ That didn’t make any sense. Unless-- was it possible that the place that Rex came from allowed for such unions?

He felt a slight flutter in his chest. It sounded like a universe he could get used to.

“Hah. I wonder what he’d think of that.” Dan placed a hand on his chin. “Was he  _ cute? _ ”

“I’d say so. But, imagine this--” Rex held his hands up in amazement. “He’s  _ blonde  _ here.”

Dan appeared slightly disgusted by the idea. “I… can’t even  _ imagine _ such a thing.”

“Yeah, you should have seen my face. I nearly choked.”

Dan turned to him with a serious look. “Did you flirt with him? Be honest.”

“Nope,” Rex laughed. “I know your husband is off limits in  _ all dimensions _ .”

“Speaking of, I had the chance to see him again, before I came back.”

“How’s he holding up?” Rex asked, voice softening.

“You know how hard it is to leave your child and pregnant husband behind?” Dan turned to him briefly. “To be honest, he didn’t look so good. I hope this whole situation doesn’t… put any unneeded stress on him, or our daughter.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. He knows that I’ll get you back safe,” Rex said with a cocky tone.

Dan laughed, practically scoffing at the idea. “As if I need  _ your _ help. I’m the one helping you, remember?”

“Good point,” he replied. “How long do we have?”

Dan eyed the clock. “Just over an hour.”

“How sure are you that he’ll be there?” Rex asked, eyeing his communicator.

“He’ll be wherever you two are going. As far as we know, he might be there already. I’m sure he knows that we’d be heading to the nearest wormhole.”

“When I’m in there, I need you to promise me that you’ll look out for him.” He made a gesture in Emmet’s direction. “He can’t get hurt or brought into all this, okay?”

“It’s not our job, and you  _ know  _ it.” Dan reminded him, tone harsh. “You can’t protect him.”

“I don’t care what the rules are,” Rex declared, eyes intense. “I’ll protect him with my life.”

“You’re no use to anyone dead.”

“Then I won’t die.”

Dan sighed. “You’d better keep to that promise.”

* * *

After what felt like an eternity, the three of them finally arrived at their destination. It appeared to be an old, long since abandoned warehouse sector in the middle of nowhere. The silent darkness combined with their surroundings was surprisingly eerie, and Emmet felt an uncomfortable shiver shoot down his spin.

He found himself leaning against the car wordlessly, watching as Rex and his partner discussed something that he couldn’t quite decipher. It sounded like a battle plan, which was understandable-- and not something he’d be able to provide any valuable input with.

Emmet could admit he was useless in combat, super-powers or not-- but the one thing he  _ was _ good at was keeping people alive. He let out a sharp breath, pulling open the car door once more to retrieve the med-kit he’d saved earlier. It wasn’t much, but if there was a chance that it could help-- then he’d take it.

Rex finally joined him by his side, averting his eyes momentarily. There was still much left unsaid, especially after their rather intimate moment back at the motel.

“It’s surreal, in a way,” Emmet commented, catching the older man’s attention.

“What do you mean?” Rex asked, leaning up against the side of the car.

“It’s just-- thinking about the  _ concept _ of meeting another ‘you’ is one thing, but-- actually  _ seeing _ it is truly terrifying.” Emmet furrowed his brow at his own words. “It’s as if there’s something fundamentally  _ wrong _ and your brain just can’t compute it.”

The older man laughed softly. “The thought has certainly kept me up at night before.”

“But that’s also what I don’t understand.” Emmet took a step forward, turning around so that he was face to face with Rex. “I don’t feel that way when I look at you.”

Emmet swallowed down the lump in his throat as the earlier memories flooded back, followed by all the unanswered questions that it generated. He was certain that Rex had feelings for him too, and he must have been attempting to kiss him-- until Emmet went and ruined the moment, as usual.

But it wasn’t something he couldn’t simply ask, to clarify-- especially now that they learned that the two of them shared the same soul. He still wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, and even then-- how did it work? The two of them looked nothing alike, but Rex and Axel had many physical similarities.

What would have happened between them at the motel, if he hadn’t pushed Rex away…? Emmet couldn’t help but linger at the thought, biting his lip.

More importantly, were his feelings real, or only caused due to their connection?

“We won’t have long once we’re inside.” Rex stated, snapping him back to reality. He placed his hands on Emmet’s shoulders. “I need you to stay safe, no matter what happens in there.”

Emmet stared at him in disbelief, grabbing his arm before he could turn away. “How can you remain this calm!?” He replied in a panicked state.

Rex smiled, reaching for Emmet’s hand. He brought it up to press firmly against his neck, just beneath his jaw line. Emmet could feel how fast and intense his heartbeat was beneath his fingertips.

“I’m fucking  _ terrified _ , kiddo,” Rex replied quietly. “I’m just really good at hiding it.”

Emmet continued to stare at him, but his expression changed, finding the courage to move his hand up a bit to cup Rex's face. The older man leaned into the touch, letting out a brief sigh. At this rate they’d never get a chance to talk about their relationship, or lack of one-- but then again, they might not be alive long enough to see it become anything more than this.

The moment ended rather abruptly as Dan joined them again, having finished investigating their surroundings. The plan was simple: Emmet and Dan would go one way, and Rex would go the other, and hopefully engage their opponent from separate locations. Axel being outnumbered was the best advantage they had right now-- and it was better than nothing.

With a nod of agreement, Rex and Emmet shared one final, longing look, before going their separate ways.

* * *

Emmet was out of breath, having run as fast and as hard as he possibly could. Their plan had gone to shit almost instantly, as if Axel had somehow known about their intentions. Before they could even react, Axel had materialised behind Dan, knocking him out almost instantly with ridiculous speed. Emmet didn’t have time to think, finding his feet taking him as far away as he could before he’d even comprehended what happened.

He was hiding in a dark corner of the building, under some old, broken down machinery. His ears were alert, eyes darting around, holding his breath. A shadow moved in the distance, entering the large room before him, and he hoped that it was  _ anyone _ but Axel.

Rex emerged into the clearing, the centre of the room offering a large area for the two of them to fight-- and to finally finish this, once and for all. His eyes flickered to the right at the first sign of movement, seeing his near-identical doppelganger emerge from the shadows. 

Axel was grinning, as per usual-- strutting towards Rex with a hunger for violence. “After this, there will be only  _ one _ .”

“I won’t be  _ the one _ ,” Rex stated, hands raised in front of him as he prepared for the fight to come. “And neither will  _ you _ .”

They didn’t waste any time, knowing the next wormhole was inbound any moment now. Rex just needed to stay alive until then. Fists clashed against each other, but neither man faltered, as they slowly whittled away the other’s power. Rex’s main concern was keeping Axel from his knife, as he couldn’t risk either of them dying. 

Rex managed to disarm the maniac, knife flying across the room-- but not before he’d received a fair share of cuts to his arms and side. No matter; he’d received far worse wounds from Axel and managed to live to continue the fight-- this was  _ nothing. _

For a moment during their conflict, Rex was sure he’d gained the upper hand-- until he hit the ground, and couldn’t muster the strength to pull himself to his feet.

Rex was weak. He’d  _ always _ been weak. He never understood why. He’d always do everything in his power to grow stronger, to become more powerful than his opponents-- but even now, with nearly unstoppable powers, he still couldn’t stand a chance against Axel.

Why wasn’t he strong enough? Why could he never protect the people he loved? Was this his destiny-- to be alone and miserable forever, to watch as everything he ever cared for was taken from him? Why was it always so unfair?

No answers came to him; then the world went dark.

Rex was down. He was  _ staying _ down. He wasn’t moving an inch.

Emmet felt his heart drop, but he didn’t have time to focus on him-- not when Axel was approaching him, dragging his feet with every step, a look of death in his eyes. He teared his eyes away, scrambling to his feet as quickly as possible. He knew he stood no chance against Axel, at least not by himself--

He did the best thing he could in the current moment; he ran, as quickly as he could, collapsing by Rex’s side. He knew Axel would be upon him any second, but he’d be insane not to at least  _ try  _ to get a response from the other man.

He wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t conscious either.

“Rex--!” Emmet pleaded. “Rex,  _ get up--! _ ” 

Emmet was thrown back by the hem of his shirt, placing unwanted distance between him and the man he loved. All he could do was stare at the face of his enemy, as he slowly closed in on him. He was shoved back to the ground and soon as he’d gotten to his feet; hand around his neck keeping him in place. He could do nothing more than cringe as Axel stared at him, licking his lips; his free hand running down the side of Emmet’s face in feigned affection.

“You’ve been a real pain,” Axel sneered with a piercing glare. “I’ll enjoy this.”

Panic was clouding his better judgement, reality setting in-- if Rex couldn’t beat this guy, then how the hell could Emmet possibly stand up against him?

Then he had an idea.

“Any last words?” Axel breathed, flicking the knife in his hand. It traced down Emmet’s chest, eventually resting above his heart.

Emmet managed to choke out a smile; the man before him appearing confused by his response. He briefly nodded, knowing what he could do to end this for good. He knew they couldn’t kill him-- so this was the next best option.

Axel’s weakness was his apparent addition to listening to the sound of his own voice.

“Yeah--” Emmet chuckled hoarsely. “ _ Fuck you _ .”

His hand shot out to Axel’s neck, hitting him directly with a sedative. The needle lingered a moment before the man startled, releasing his hold on Emmet and staggering back. He raised a hand to his own neck, pulling the instrument from his body with a pained sound.

“Well,” Axel paused, looking at the needle in his hand, contents now empty. “ _ That _ was unexpected.”

A moment later, he dropped to the ground in an unconscious heap, movements stilling. Emmet finally let out the breath he’d been holding in, panting to regain his composure. He struggled to his feet, body suddenly feeling like he had no bones. He glanced to the other side of the room, watching in suspense as Rex finally rose to his feet.

Rex staggered, turning to his partner, who still remained knocked-out from the earlier fight. He leaned down, pulling the man into his arms, and throwing him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. With a sigh of discomfort, Rex headed in Emmet’s direction, glad to find Axel in his current state.

Emmet exchanged a look with Rex, but he said nothing, tearing his eyes away almost instantly, causing Emmet’s heart to ache. He didn’t understand what was going to happen next, or where this would leave the two of them.

Rex pulled Axel along by his collar, dragging him towards the centre of the room. A deep, rumbling sound began to form, spreading throughout the room, encompassing the interior space. A few moments later, the wormhole had completely formed, causing everything in reach to be blown back by the force of the energy it omitted. 

Silence hung in the air, Rex keeping his back to the other man. Emmet bit his lip, struggling to control his body, as he made his way over to the wormhole as well. He still couldn’t comprehend what was happening, or where this would even lead Rex once he’d disappear through the void.

“Stay back--!” Rex shouted, turning his head, but refusing to meet his eyes. “ _ Please _ .”

Emmet recoiled, staring at the older man in disbelief.

“You need to stay here-- you won’t be safe if you come with me,” Rex elaborated, slowly backing towards the wormhole. “I’ll make sure Axel is sent somewhere he’ll never escape from. He won’t harm you ever again. You’re  _ safe _ here.”

Emmet couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. It couldn’t end like this-- not now, not when there was so much unsaid between them.

“You can’t leave!” Emmet was on the verge of tears, heart breaking at the sight of Rex’s sad expression. “Please, don’t leave me. _Please._”

Rex averted his eyes. “I won’t be able to protect--”

Emmet was determined now. “I don’t need  _ protecting! _ ” 

Despite his better judgement, and Rex’s protests-- Emmet ran forward, throwing himself into the other man’s arms. He held on to him as if his life depended on it, shifting to face him, so that he could finally kiss Rex as if it was his last breath. It was brief, but certainly not one-sided-- and it was everything he’d ever dreamed of-- until it was over as quickly as it began.

Rex pulled back abruptly, coming to his senses.

“Wait, you  _ can’t _ \--”

* * *

The group landed back in Rex’s dimension with a loud thud, writhing on the ground, unable to control their limbs. Emmet managed to set his eyes on Rex, the two of them now separated on either side of the room. His body continued to refuse his commands, which he could guess was a side effect of their dimensional travelling. 

Still-- a warning would have been nice.

Emmet wasn’t entirely sure where they were-- but it was a small room, floor and walls metallic and cold. A door at one end of the room hissed open; three men entering who Emmet could only assume to be officers-- their outfits resembling that which Rex was wearing upon their initial encounter. 

They’d made it back in time. They’d captured Axel alive. They were finally  _ safe _ .

Or so he thought.

Emmet looked up, seeing Rex writhe on the ground in agony. He needed to go to him, to be with him, to comfort him-- but he still couldn’t move.

“That’s him,” Axel stated, pointing at Rex. “That’s  _ Drake _ .”

Emmet’s eyes went completely wide, catching on to Axel’s attempt to deceive them. The sedative he’d given Axel must not have been as strong as he assumed. Stupid superpowers-- they were going to be the end of all of them. More to his surprise-- the officers were actually falling for it. 

Emmet watched helplessly as a group of officers dragged Rex away, who, much like Emmet, couldn’t protest their actions. He had to protest, he had to correct them-- but the words died on his lips, as his body continued to listen to him. His eyes were pulled away as Axel forced him to his feet, getting in close with a fake look of affection. He was breathing into his ear, causing him to shiver in disgust.

“You’re  _ mine _ now--” Axel whispered, holding Emmet close around his waist. He felt like he was going to be sick. “We’re going to have some  _ fun _ together.”

Emmet didn’t have the strength to pull away. At least, not yet. Something more important caught his attention-- a countdown. His eyes were alert, following the sound, vision clear enough to see Rex strapped into a device of sorts. It was shaped like a chair, raised in the centre of a room, cordoned off behind a wall of glass.

They were going to send him away. They were making a huge mistake. But it was enough motivation for Emmet to find his inner strength.

He grit his teeth, hands clawing into Axel’s shirt. He watched the man’s expression change to surprise, as Emmet threw him as hard as he could across the room, slamming into the glass wall separating him from Rex.

“You’ve got the wrong guy,” Emmet finally gritted out through the pain and discomfort, using the closest object to keep him upright. “That’s him.” He pointed to the pathetic man on the floor, now the centre of attention. 

The officers pulled away from Rex, taking a moment to do an actual  _ thorough _ check of the doppelgangers, before finally realising they had, indeed, got the wrong man. Rex was finally pulled free from the machine, collapsing to the ground by Emmet’s feet.

Emmet held out a hand, helping the older man up, holding onto each other for balance. They watched silently as Axel-- the man they’d feared, the man who’d caused countless crimes against the multiverse-- was strapped into the machine before them. To neither man’s surprise, the maniac laughed at their actions-- and continued to do so as he was read his list of crimes.

Rex’s captain entered the room silently, standing in front of the man who was to be sentenced. 

“We have found you guilty of one hundred and seventy eight counts of first degree murder, and one hundred and twenty four counts of unauthorised travel to parallell universes.”

“There has never been anything like what I have become,” Axel laughed, not listening to their drivel. “Do your  _ worst. _ ”

“For these crimes, you have been sentenced to life--  _ without _ the possibility of return. Are you ready?” The captain asked.

Axel smirked, eyes wide and unblinking. “Are _ you? _ ”

A crack of lightning blinded everyone in the room, eventually dissipating, leaving nothing but an empty chair and the echo of eerie laughter in its place.

They’d finally done it. 

They’d stopped Axel, and saved themselves from an unfortunate, deadly fate. Emmet released a relieved breath he’d been holding in, clinging to Rex for support. He couldn’t believe it-- they were safe, and they were together.

Everything had turned out for the best.

...Right?

A silence fell on the room once more, all eyes slowly turning to Emmet. He faltered, feeling Rex’s hand tighten around his shoulder protectively, as if he’d never want to let go. It was just as Emmet had feared-- he couldn’t stay here. They were probably trying to think of how to deal with him next.

Rex’s boss approached the two of them, eyes flickering between them, before landing on Rex. “He’s from an uninitiated universe with no travel passport,” he stated clearly, gesturing to Emmet. “He goes back. Balance must be preserved.”

“He can’t go back. I can--”

“It is too dangerous for the two of you to remain in close proximity. Should anything happen to both of you, then--”

Rex glared, standing his ground. “I won’t let that happen.”

“He has to go back. That’s an order.”

“Rex, it’s fine--” Emmet interrupted, stepping back to face him. He looked down, holding their hands together gently. “I’ll go back if I have to.” 

No. He couldn’t lose him. Not now.

Rex stared at him in disbelief. “But--”

Emmet pulled him into a sudden, warm embrace-- hands digging into the back of Rex’s shirt. He used all his willpower not to cry, knowing this would be the last time they’d ever see each other.

“Thank you for protecting me,” he pulled back, blush creeping up his neck.

Rex shot a glance at his captain. “Can I at least get a moment to say goodbye?” He asked, clearly irritated.

After another moment, the two of them were finally left alone.

There was so much that Rex wanted to say, but he didn’t have the faintest clue where to start. He’d never been good with words, relying on his actions more than anything. He’d have to do the same now-- they didn’t have any more time, knowing their inevitable fate.

This was goodbye.

Rex reached up to his necklace, hand gripping it firmly as he pulled it free, breaking the chain in the process. He brought his hand down, opening to reveal the ring that he’d bought all those years ago for the love of his life.

The world had since changed.  _ Rex _ had changed. He’d now met someone who he cared for more than life itself.

Rex gently reached for Emmet’s hand, pulling it up towards his chest. Unspoken words held silence in the air, as Rex psyched himself up for what he was about to do; an action greater than any words he would comprehend. Holding the ring between his fingers, he glanced at the younger man’s eyes for a moment, before carefully slipping the ring onto Emmet’s finger, his own hands lingering a moment.

Something clicked; it was a perfect fit, as if it was always meant to be there.

If Rex was going to say anything, he wasn’t given a chance.

“I love you,” Emmet whispered, biting his lip. He was trying his hardest not to completely collapse under his emotions. “I always will.”

Rex’s hand found the back of his neck, pulling the younger man into a kiss; passionate and full of need, and far overdue. Neither wanted to pull back first, hoping the moment would last forever. It was like nothing they’d ever felt-- it was borderline  _ electrifying _ . 

But all things, including this, had to come to an end.

Despite their protests, Emmet was pulled from Rex’s arms. His hands shot out on instinct, not wanting to let go, but all he could do was stare into Rex’s emerald eyes, and accept the cruel reality of their situation.

With that, Emmet was gone in an instant-- the image of his sad smile would forever be implanted in Rex’s memory.

There was nothing Rex could do as he felt his heart shatter.

* * *

Axel felt the adrenaline rush through him as he was dropped out of the sky, landing unceremoniously on the surface of the prison planet  _ Hades _ \-- exactly how he remembered it. In only a few short moments, he was completely surrounded by the various other inmates, staring at him with intrigue, commenting amongst themselves at his arrival.

“What do we have here?” One inmate sneered, clicking his tongue.

“Fresh meat,” added another, slowly closing in.

Axel jumped to his feet, rolling his eyes at the pathetic wall of opponents he saw before him. None of them were a match for him. None of them could  _ possibly  _ compare to the power which he held.

He threw the first punch, beginning a riot amongst the inmates. He craved the thrill of the fight, laughing as each new opponent tried in vain to knock him back, instead meeting a far more brutal fate from his fists. 

The crowd began to diminish, witling away until no more men stood before him for a challenge. The waves had ended, leaving him pumped full of adrenaline and sweat, and itching for more. 

“Bunch of _amateurs_,” he spat, making eye contact with anyone else left standing. “Come on-- _fight me!_”

The sound of fists against flesh rang out across the distance, accompanied only by the sound of bodies hitting the ground, as Axel’s laughter echoed across the planet. 

Knife or fists, he knew he was unstoppable.

They never stood a chance, as Axel proudly stood above them all in smug, unmatched victory.

“I’ll show them-- they haven’t seen the last of me!” 

Axel continued to shout his claims towards the sky, as if he was addressing Zeus himself. 

“I will be  _ the One!” _

* * *

_ 6 Months Later _

Dan found himself by his husband’s side, running a gentle hand through his hair. Ben appeared exhausted, and completely dishevelled by the recent events. Their second child-- Harper-- had been born, but not without complications. It was nothing that she wouldn’t recover from, in time-- however, the events took an equal toll on Ben as well, now bedridden for weeks.

Dan would visit their daughter, still currently in hospital, each day to check up on her-- then he’d come home to his loving husband, and do anything he could to make his recovery easier. He’d spent the last week regaling his most recent cases at work, and finding them nowhere near as fun or exciting as when he had Rex as his partner.

After their mission to find Axel, Rex hadn’t been the same. He’d stopped turning up to work months ago, and anytime Dan managed to break into his apartment, he was lucky to get even a sentence out of him-- usually dropping off food and closing the door until his next visit.

It was clear that Rex was devastated by the events, and Dan would guess it was mostly due to Emmet. It was painfully obvious how much Rex had cared for the kid, and it broke his heart.

If Dan was perfectly honest with himself-- he’d had enough. Rex was going nowhere fast, rotting away in his apartment, so today was the day. He had a message to deliver.

“I’m worried about him too,” Ben said, patting his thigh. “You’re a great friend to him, you know.”

Dan grimaced, averting his eyes. “I’m certain I’m his  _ only  _ friend at this point.” He got to his feet, swiping his phone and keys from the bedside table. “And I’ve got a message to give him.”

Ben looked at him curiously, but didn’t press any further. “If you’re making a house call, would you mind taking Elijah with you? I could use the time to rest.”

Dan nodded. He still had his  _ husbandly duties _ to attend to after all. He kissed Ben’s forehead, pulling Eli up into his arms.

“What are you going to do?” Ben asked, head cocked to the side, curiosity getting the better of him.

Daniel grinned, tapping the side of his nose. “I’m going to give his life a new possibility.”

* * *

The door was open when Dan arrived, the faint sound of music droning through the apartment. He let himself in, closing the door quietly behind him. The place was a complete and utter mess. He kicked the empty beer bottles on the floor, nearly tripping over several pizza boxes as he made his way through. There was nothing clean in sight.

Rex would have to be home. He was in no shape to leave, or even look after himself in the slightest. 

Dan pushed open the door to the bedroom, finding it dark and eerie. Several bottles of whiskey sat by the foot of the bed-- and an arm emerged from the bed above, not too far from it. His eyes followed the limb, finding a very sad man wrapped up in a mess of blankets and pillows.

“Danny-boy.” A muffled, croaky voice stated from beneath the sheets. “What do you want...?”

The cop paused, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. “You just gonna listen to sad music and mope around for the rest of your life?” He asked in all seriousness.

A groan was all Dan received in response, Rex continuing to refuse to emerge from the bed.

“You did the right thing,” Dan said softly. “He’ll be safe there.”

A minute passed, before Rex replied, “I know.”

Rex couldn’t stop thinking about those final moments he shared with Emmet-- how he didn’t say that he loved him-- that he _couldn’t _say it-- that he’d _try _to deny his feelings just in hopes of not breaking his own heart. But here he was again, heartbroken and depressed. It wasn’t going to get any better. 

Emmet deserved to know how he felt. That was Rex’s biggest regret about his time spent in the other dimension, more than anything.

“You want the good news or the bad news first?” Dan queried, interrupting Rex from his thoughts.

“Go away.” He had no interest in such games. “Leave me in peace.”

“The bad news is, you’ve been fired.” Dan walked over to the nearby desk, picking up Rex’s badge and gun.

“How can there be any good news?” He asked, dreading the answer.

“I’ll show you.” Dan pulled on the blanket he was wrapped up in. “Come on, you need to get up.”

“What, am I being evicted as well?” Rex squinted, his eyes disliking the sudden change from darkness. “ _ Fuck off _ .”

“Language,” Dan replied harshly.

Rex was caught off guard by his change of tone, but that’s when he finally got a decent look at his ex-partner; wearing dark sunglasses, casual attire, and carrying his firstborn child across his chest.

Dan glared at him, using his hands to cover Elijah’s ears from the crude language that was all too common in Rex’s presence.

Rex raised an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh. “You look ridiculous.”

The cop smirked. “Like  _ you _ can talk.”

The man had a point; Rex  _ did _ look like complete and utter shit, if he was perfectly honest with himself. That’s what happens when you lose everything in your life that gave it meaning-- that made it worth living in the first place.

What was the point of getting out of bed anymore, if he had nothing to look forward to?

Rex collapsed back down onto his bed without another word, feeling the end of the mattress dip slightly. There was a brief moment of silence, but he knew Dan had something on his mind.

“Remember when we first met?” _ _

“At the academy.” Rex reminisced briefly. “Like I’d forget. Don’t see many identical sets of twins signing up to be cops.”

Dan hummed. “So you really don’t remember…”

It took a moment for the comment to sink in, finally pulling at Rex’s curiosity enough for him to sit up. He stared a moment, confusion clear on his face. Dan took the hint.

“It was at a house party. I was sixteen,” Dan said, eyes staring into the distance as the memories came back. “In fact, that was the night I met Ben…”

He trailed off a moment, continuing to ramble about his earlier days before he and his husband became an item, and apparently forgetting the point of his story in the first place.

Rex cleared his throat. “What party are you talking about?” He interrupted. “How long ago are we talking?”

“Elizabeth’s eighteenth,” Dan replied, appearing rather grim at the mention of her name. “I remember seeing you there. You tried to kick me out.” He chuckled softly at the memory.

Rex was silent, memory failing him. He hadn’t heard her name in so long, and certainly not from another person. He had no idea what to say. His mind always went blank when he thought of her-- but that was just how he was. Emotions and feelings were never something Rex was an expert at expressing.

“I never got a chance to give you my condolences before you disappeared off the face of the earth.” He looked down, holding onto Eli’s tiny hands. “But I remember how happy you were that night. Even if you were a complete dick to me.”

“That sounds like me,” Rex sighed, feeling rather sombre. “I don’t think I’m cut out for happiness.”

“Yes, you are.” Dan got to his feet with newfound determination. “Which is why I’m going to risk everything right now to help you out.”

Rex stared at him, completely puzzled. “…What?”

“Come on,” his partner urged. “It’s a surprise.”

* * *

It wasn’t long before Emmet settled back into the routine of his life, or at least-- the way his life  _ was _ , before Rex had materialised before him and thrown everything out of balance. The main difference was the small reminder he now had of the man he’d once loved, that would never leave his hand.

Emmet hadn’t removed the ring since he’d been given it on that fateful day. He couldn’t bring himself to do so. It was the one thing that reminded him that Rex even existed, the object that connected them. Sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night, wondering if it was all a dream, before tracing his finger around the gold band, and remembering his sorrow and regret.

He’d truly believed the two of them had a connection. How could he meet one man and have his life thrown into complete chaos, yet end as quickly as it began? But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Rex and their brief time together-- Emmet wondered what he was up to now, since he’d been sent back.

Emmet shook his head. He couldn’t sit here all day feeling sorry for himself.

Today was different. Today, he was feeling… something. He wasn’t entirely sure  _ what _ . But he knew he needed to do  _ something  _ about his future. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life like this-- sad and alone, in a world without the one he loved. How long could he possibly stay like this? He was sure, at this rate, the loneliness would consume him.

In a single, swift motion, Emmet closed his eyes, and removed the ring from his finger.

He stayed like that a moment, heart beating loudly in his ears, before he opened his eyes again. The small golden band shone brightly in the light, despite how poorly he cared for it-- but there was something else that had caught his eye. Something on the inner side of the ring.

Emmet squinted, bringing the ring closer to his face. It was an inscription-- writing, of some sort-- in a language he didn’t speak. If his guess was correct-- it was latin. He pulled back, blinking a few times. He furrowed his brow, trying to make out the words. 

“Sem...per…” He curved the ring around to continue reading. “Ame...mus…?”

Emmet blinked, thinking for a moment. He had absolutely  _ no idea  _ what that meant.

But he had an idea who might.

* * *

Emmet drummed his fingers along the side of the phone while he listened to the blaring sound of the dial tone. He always became so anxious when he had to call people, but he wasn’t sure why. He just really hoped that she would--

“Hello?” An effeminate voice said.

He sighed in relief. “Hey, Lucy-- it’s me.”

“Emmet!” There was an awkward shuffling on the other end of the phone, and a moment passed before Lucy returned. “It’s been so long!”

He opened his mouth to reply, but wasn’t sure what to say. 

Since Rex, and the events that unfolded… he knew he couldn’t tell her the truth-- at least, not the  _ whole _ truth. But she had a pretty good idea of the heartbreak he felt, and the loneliness that accompanied it. In fact, Lucy had been the one to look after him, especially those first few days, when the pain was fresh and unbearable.

“...How are you doing?” She asked, sounding rather cautious.

It was in that moment that Emmet snapped out of it, remembering the original point of his phone call.

“Yeah, I’m doing better,” he mumbled, trying his best not to sound too pathetic. “But… I had a question for you actually.”

A curious sound echoed down the phone line. “Oh yeah?” Lucy replied, intrigued. “Do tell.”

Emmet let out a deep breath, cradling the phone between his cheek and shoulder, and bringing the ring up to his face once more. He had to make sure he read this out correctly.

“Back when we were at university, wasn’t your co-major in Latin literature?” He asked, trying his best not to sound too desperate.

He wanted-- no,  _ needed-- _ to know what this inscription meant. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like it might give him an answer. The answer to  _ what _ , exactly-- he wasn’t sure.

Lucy hummed. “Yeah, yeah I did-- why’s that? Sort of an… odd question to ask me about in the middle of the evening,” she added with a playful tone.

Emmet eyed the clock, noting it was a ridiculously late time to be asking a friend about their Latin knowledge. But he could apologise later. This was important to him.

“I was wondering if you could translate something for me,” he said, waiting for a sound of agreement before he continued. “I know I’m pronouncing this wrong, but it says--”

He paused another moment, moving the ring around in his fingers to get the best view of the inscription inside.

“ _ Semper amemus _ ,” he concluded, placing the ring back on his finger, exactly where it belonged. “Mean anything to you?”

“Oh yeah, that’s a popular phrase,” she replied, and Emmet’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. “Generally,  _ semper _ means ‘always’, and  _ amemus _ means ‘love’.”

He thought to himself for a moment, as her words sunk in.  _ Love always? _ That was rather… romantic. But he couldn’t help but wonder why Rex had chosen such a phrase.

“But it doesn’t literally mean  _ love always _ \-- a more accurate translation would be along the lines of...  _ let us love forever _ , or perhaps  _ that we might love forever.” _

All words died in his throat, as the phrase echoed and repeated in his head.

“Emmet?”

He snapped himself out of it, biting his lip. “Thanks Lucy.”

Emmet slammed the phone back into the receiver, legs going weak with a sudden influx of emotions. He leaned against the wall, slowly sinking back onto the floor, grasping the ring in his hand as if it were the most important thing in the world.

“Let us love forever.” He barely mumbled the words to himself before he broke down into tears again. “ _ Liar. _ ”

Fuck. Emmet missed him so much-- that  _ bastard _ . He wanted to kiss him again. He was in a hole so deep he was sure he’d never find a way out. He was desperate, and he had no idea what to do with himself.

He would do  _ anything _ to see him again.

* * *

Rex had no idea where they were anymore. It was someplace downtown, and didn’t look at all familiar to him. There were rows of abandoned buildings and warehouses, and the two of them were lost somewhere amongst the deserted streets. It was dingy, and uncomfortably quiet. He still had no idea what they were doing, and it was beginning to get on his nerves.

“Why are we here?” Rex asked, patience wearing thin.

Dan turned to him with a brief grin. “You’ll see.”

He sighed at the reply, not surprised by his partner’s vague response. He’d never been the kind of guy that liked surprises, and this situation was becoming ridiculous. If he didn’t know Dan as well as he did, he’d think he was going to be murdered.

The two of them stopped at a particularly large building, windows smashed and door wide open. Rex started, perplexed, as Dan proceeded inside. A wave of anxiety passed him, before he shook his head, and followed the other man.

Something still didn’t feel right.

“Wait-- are we  _ allowed _ to be here?” Rex asked cautiously.

“Rex,” Dan stopped in his tracks, looking at his partner and placing a hand on his shoulder. “For once in your life, shut up and follow me.”

With another smile, they continued on their venture into the dark building, and Rex was surprised at just how forward Dan had been with him. He knew something was up, but it couldn’t be what he wanted. He couldn’t get his hopes up.

Dan stopped in the centre of the room, staring into the distance. Rex stood by his side, following his line of sight with a confused expression. There was nothing there, so what was he--

Rex was nearly knocked off his feet by a sudden influx of energy, as a huge wormhole came into view, causing a clutter in the building. The walls began to shake, windows rattling and echoing throughout the building.

No-- it couldn’t be. This… was it what he thought it was?

“Is this...” Rex said, struggling to form words. “Is he--”

“Yes.”

Rex’s eyes were wide, mouth opening and closing but unable to form words. Was this really happening? Could this even be possible? He couldn’t believe it--

Time was standing still, and all he could do was pull Dan into the tightest embrace he could muster.

“Go on,” the cop insisted, patting his back. “You don’t have long. He’s waiting for you.”

Rex had nearly forgotten how to form words. “I-- I can’t thank you enough--”

He shook his head. “No need. But-- you can do one thing for me.”

“And what’s that?”

Dan smiled; a comforting, genuine smile-- which was rare to see. _ _

“Be happy.”

Rex barely registered the words before he was pushed into the wormhole, catching the last glimpse of the world he called home, and the man who he’d always consider his friend. 

Words couldn’t express his gratitude, but he was sure of one thing-- he was going to miss the bastard.

* * *

Emmet’s life hadn’t been the same since, well--  _ everything _ .

Even after losing Rex, he’d been sent back to where he’d originated, but his life was still in shambles. He’d now been the centre of an ongoing police investigation, mostly thanks to all the damage Axel had done in the short amount of time he’d been here.

Thankfully, there was little evidence of Rex’s existence, and he managed to make excuses to tie up all the loose ends. It was simple-- he’d been on the run from a crazed murderer, and barely escaped with his life intact. That was it. He’d said that he had no idea why he was the one targeted, or why so many innocents were killed to get to him-- but one thing he knew for sure, and he made sure the cops knew-- Axel had disappeared.

Emmet couldn’t exactly explain the truth of the situation-- not without being sent away for being certifiably insane-- so this was the next best thing. Leaving the precinct, for the last time, he sighed. It had been nothing but a constant reminder of the man he’d loved and lost, and continued to long for, every minute of every day since he’d returned home.

Nothing was fair. 

Emmet swallowed the lump in his throat, hating the thought of being away from Rex. He hoped that wherever he was, he was safe at least, and living out his life without him in it.

Even with explaining the events to the authorities, Emmet’s life had still been just as difficult as it was originally to adjust to. Having to pretend he was dumber than he actually was, on top of making sure he didn’t accidentally punch a hole through everything he touched, was becoming exhausting. It was just one extra thing he had to concern himself with constantly. The last thing he wanted was to be found out and be taken away to some secret government facility, if that was even a possibility here. He couldn’t be too careful.

Just the same as any other Friday night, Emmet left work rather late, the full moon already high in the night sky, it’s reflection illuminating his way home. He stared at the ground, mostly, making sure he didn’t trip and accidentally create a crater or knock over a building. The thought of it still made him laugh at the absurdity of it. At this point he couldn’t even trust his own sneezes, for fear that it would cause everything around him to crumble.

He couldn’t help but feel anxious at this point, noting the all too familiar alleyway up ahead-- the one where he’d been that fateful night. He hated how it reminded him of Rex-- not only because of how much he missed him, and cared for him-- but from the constant danger and terror he felt, when they were being hunted. But they were together. He had wished more than anything to have had some more quality time with Rex.

Would he feel the same way?

Emmet shook his head, pulling his jumper snuggly around himself as he felt the chill of the wind on his skin. He picked up the pace, keen on returning home and getting as warm as he could before he froze to death. But...

Something was different. Something was… _ off. _ It was familiar, a feeling that he had before. It was almost as if… 

He paused at the alleyway, feeling the all too familiar tug in his chest. No-- it couldn’t be possible. It was wishful thinking, his mind making it up to get his hopes up--

Emmet pulled his gaze away, turning back to the road, but he couldn’t move. His feet wouldn’t agree with him. It was urging him to go back, to traverse down that dark alleyway like he had before.

But  _ why _ ? 

Rex wouldn’t be there. He’d just be disappointed all over again. He wasn’t strong. Dealing with one heartbreak was already too much for him, so he might as well get this over with now.

He felt his heart race in his chest as he turned towards the darkness, hesitating a moment. This was going to be such a waste of time, he knew it, but still-- he had to be _ sure _ . He slowly made his way through, as his pace picked up, until he was nearly sprinting.

Emmet stopped dead in his tracks.

There was a man. A man he recognised, sitting in a heap, in the spot he’d first met him. He was certain that he was dreaming, feeling his heart stop in his chest.

It was too good to be true.

“Hey, kiddo,” an all-too familiar voice graced his ears. “Did you miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't leave you hanging, I promise :)  
The short (smutty) epilogue will be coming soon, and picks up right where we leave off!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Hell's desire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581409) by [Creativecookiecrumb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativecookiecrumb/pseuds/Creativecookiecrumb)
  * [A Simple Flower](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22790278) by [WriterHoku](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterHoku/pseuds/WriterHoku)


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